A Wonderful Mistake
by clarksonfan
Summary: Pacey and Joey make a huge mistake one night while drunk. The mistake being? Joey's engaged to Dawson. Now both must deal with the guilt, while also pushing developing feelings away. But this mistake just might turn out to be wonderful in the end.
1. A One Night Stand

**A/N: I wrote this story before my other story "A Past Re-Told," So it is completely finished, so if people want more, i will have updates readily available. Please enjoy. **

**Chapter 1: A One Night Stand**

Joey opened her eyes as the sun ran through the window and hit her eyes, making her groan in pain. She then slowly opened her eyes as to avoid the sun's rays hitting her cornea's so violently. But it wasn't exactly the sun that had her head pounding, her eyes stinging. In only took her about thirty seconds to realize she was, indeed, hung over. Great, how much had she had to drink last night? She closed and opened her eyes several times, still not moving. She then was able to opened her eyes without the sun making her wince. So she stared at the wall in front of her for several minutes, willing herself to remember the night before, but the pounding headache was all she could think about.

Her eyes slowly travelled to the hand that lay in front of her on the pillow. She noticed the diamond ring on her ring finger and smiled slightly. She was engaged to Dawson Leery, he childhood friend, and for the past ten years has been something so much more. Well, ten years for her. She had fallen in love with him her sophomore year of high school and half way through it, he finally realized his love for her and they got together. Only to break up two months later, become friends, then get back together for two months once more, break-up and then become friends once more until, four years later at the end of her sophomore year in college did she get back together with Dawson permanently and only a year ago did he ask to her to marry him. She had, of course, accepted. They hadn't yet married, but they would in two months time. She was counting down the days.

But as she started to turn to her side, having been laying on her stomach, she noticed she was naked. When had she got naked? She looked under the white sheet that clung to her body loosely and confirmed that yes, she was indeed naked. She yawned, feeling exhausted. Great, add tired to her list along with having a massive hangover. She finally managed to get on her back and her elbow hit something solid. She looked to her left slowly. There was a body next to her. And as her eyes traveled up, she noticed that the man next to her did not have the blonde hair of her fiance. The hair that was staring her in the face was light brown. She knew that hair. But she wouldn't date believe it.

Oh no...

As she started to push herself up to get a good look at the man's face, the man groaned in his sleep and buried his face into the pillow, effectively blocking his face from her view.

But she didn't need to see his face. She was slowly starting to remember as flashed came to her quickly.

_"So, where's Dawson?" Pacey laughed as he plopped down on the plush white couch._

_"At work, as usual," Joey sighed as she plopped down next to him. "I swear, i've seen you more this week than i have him!"_

_"Seriously?" Pacey chuckled as he opened the bottle he was holding and poured the drink into the the first shot glass, handing it to Joey and then pouring his own._

_"Seriously! Gah!" She winced as she threw her head back, drowning the shot._

_"I know, awful, huh?" Pacey said as he too drank his shot and winced._

_"Terrible," She sighed. "More," She held out her shot glass._

_Pacey laughed and poured more for her, then for himself._

_"You know, he's only an assistant director. All he does is take notes, put in his opinions and take over directing when the director is out sick or something, which is rare. I mean, Dawson should have realized long ago that he just wasn't going to be successful in the movie business. And of course, he dragged me out here to Hollywood. They haven't even approved one of his scripts!" Joey let out an big sigh and groaned. "Idiot, he is."_

_"You say that about your own fiance?" Pacey laughed as tipped back his shot._

_"Sure. I mean, this is the third time he's stood me up so he could work long, hard hours at the TV show...you know, sometimes i think he's cheating on me," She sighed as she held out her shot glass._

_"Dawson? Cheat?" Pacey laughed as he poured her another shot._

_"What? It could happen," Joey laughed as she tipped back her shot. "God, this tequila is awful."_

_"Whatever numbs the pain, right Potter?" Pacey said as he tipped back his own shot._

_"I have no pain!" Joey said louder than she should have. "I am a happy, engaged, in love woman," She grinned as she held out her shot once more. "No pain here, nope nope," She shook her head._

_"Sure," Pacey said in a disbelieving tone as she poured himself another shot._

_"You know he called to say he wouldn't be coming back tonight? Pff!" She shook her head and tipped back her head and feeling the hot alcohol go down her throat. "Like any measly show would need him over night. You know, i bet he's cheating. Asshole," She was definitely drunk now._

_"Yeah, Asshole," Pacey nodded as he tipped back his own shot._

_"You know, i know i don't tell you enough, Pacey," Joey mumbled as she put her shot glass on the coffee table with a loud bang, "But you're a really terrific friend," She giggled as she pulled him into a hug._

_"Okay, yeah, enough Potter," Pacey pulled out of the hug. "I know i'm just a shoe-in for our blond friend tonight. I'm just here so you don't feel lonely."_

_"I am not lonely! And i'd like to think that over the years we've become friends. Like best friends," She giggled._

_"Sure sure," Pacey waved a hand.[/i]_

_Joey put her hands over her eyes and rubbed them as another flash came to her._

_[i]"Hey, Pace?" Joey whispered into his ear. She was extremely drunk and so was Pacey.._

_"Hmm?" He said, turning his head toward her._

_"Thanks for being here when Dawson isn't. It really means a lot to me."_

_"No problem. I don't have any girlfriend to get home to," He chuckled as he leaned down on the couch, his lower half mostly still off the couch. Joey giggled._

_"I barely have any room!" She complained._

_"Then get on top of me, Potter," Pacey chuckled, feeling tired, his eyes drooping._

_"Ugh! That sounded so wrong," She scowled, but got on top of him anyway, more straddling him as he pulled his legs onto the couch entirely._

_"Mhmm..." Pacey murmured, not seemed to care that Joey was sitting on top of him._

_"Hey, Witter, don't fall asleep on me now!" She tapped her hand against his cheek lightly, not slapping him, but giving him a little tap._

_"Whaddya want?" Pacey sighed sleepily._

_"Hmm..." She seemed to think seriously about it and Pacey opened his eyes to look at her. At that same moment, he just seemed to notice that she straddling him, practically sitting on his groin. He shifted, feeling his cheeks warm. Why was Joey sitting on him like she was? "For my fiance to quit his job and find a better one so he's here, with me."_

_"And thus, you won't have to call me and have me hang out with you," Pacey put his hands behind his head._

_"Believe it or not, i don't mind hanging out with you, Pace..." She trailed off and in her drunken state, she reached forward and cupped his cheek._

_"Jo..." Pacey trailed off uncertainly as she looked down at him._

_"You aren't a replacement, Pace. I want you here, hanging out with me."_

_"But if Dawson didn't have the job he had, he'd be here with you instead, am i right?"_

_"Sure, but that doesn't mean i hate you, Pacey," She ran her hand down his shirt clad chest, having removed it from his cheek._

_"I know. We came to the decision seven years ago that we didn't hate each other and that we were, indeed, friends..."_

_"See!" Joey giggled, shifting on him._

_Pacey groaned involuntarily, her movement against his groin bringing pleasure to his veins._

_"What? did i hurt you?" Joey said, her eyes growing wide._

_Pacey chuckled. "You definitely didn't hurt me, Jo..."_

_In her drunken state, it took her a minute to catch on. "Oh!" She giggled. "You liked that," She giggled again and shifted once more, but with more force and more purpose._

_"Jo!" Pacey practically screeched. "What are you doing?"_

_"I dunno," She shrugged. They were quiet for a while, Pacey squirming ever once and a while. Finally, Joey leaned forward. "You ever been alone, Pace?"_

_"What do you think i am right now?" He murmured._

_"Well, i've been feeling alone for a while now..." She sighed. Dawson was always working. Always. She barely ever saw him. When had it started to happen, she tried to think..._

_"Whaddya mean? You have Dawson."_

_"Doesn't feel like it..." She sighed and shifted again, purposefully. This time she felt a slight bulge from Pacey's pants against her crotch. And it made her body tingle. And not in a bad way. She studied Pacey carefully._

_"What are you doing to me, Potter?" Pacey groaned._

_"I dunno..." She trailed off. "I think...i think i like it..." She murmured. This surprised her. Yeah, she and Pacey had gotten closer and closer with each passing year to the point where they hung out almost all the time, but up until that moment, she hadn't thought of Pacey sexually._

_"And as you can feel, i like it too," Pacey chuckled._

_"Pacey..." She whispered._

_His chuckle stopped shot and it ended sounding strangled. "Yeah?" He swallowed._

_"Mind if i try something?" She whispered._

_"Sure, go ahead," Pacey whispered, looking put at her. Her beautiful brown hair fell into her face as she leaned forward, he captivating chocolate brow eyes held his. He couldn't look away even if he tried. He face, her beautiful face was coming closed and closer to his. Her body was pressing into his. And while part of him screamed at him, no, no, don't let her, pull her away! the other part, the part that was controlling his body and actions wouldn't let him._

_And for the first time ever, Joey Potter's lips connected with Pacey Witter's. It was like an electric firestorm of passion as their lips touched softly. The sparks were evident, even if you couldn't see or here them. Pacey slowly reached one hand up to weave through her hair and bring her closer to him. Their lips meshed together as the kiss became more lust-filled, more desperate._

_In one swift movement, Pacey sat up, bringing Joey with him and all the while they kissed in a heated passion. Tongues tangled together, lips continued to glide across the other and their moans started to fill the room. They were both too far gone by now and in a normal situation, Joey wouldn't have leaned in and kissed him and even if she had, Pacey would have stopped her before she could. But their brains were muddled by alcohol and all they could see, taste, feel was each other. Out of their minds was Dawson Leery. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they knew what they were doing was wrong. Not only was Joey Dawson's fiance, but Pacey was Dawson's best friend and here they were, in the middle of Joey and Dawson's living room making out and bordering on more than that._

_And, if Pacey was sober, he would have done what he was about to do. Pacey pulled back from Joey, their breathing both heavy and Pacey quickly pulled up her tank top. And Joey not only smiled, she held up her arms to make it easier for Pacey to take her shirt off. And in one fluid movement, her shirt was off. And their lips met each other in an instant. Pacey reached behind Joey to take her bra off. In his muddled state, it took longer than it should have, but he eventually heard the snap of her bra and he reached both hands to slide the bra off her shoulders, down her arms and off of her. He threw it without thinking and it landed somewhere out of site. Pacey's hands cupped her breasts, starting to massage them. Joey moaned, the whole time still keeping their lips fused together._

_Normally, Pacey would have admired her breasts, but he was urgent as he pulled back and looked at her. Joey panted as she looked down at him, her breasts pressed against his chest. They weren't thinking. At all. "Should be take this into the bedroom?" Joey breathed._

_"Yes," Pacey said immediately and Joey hopped off Pacey to stand up and Pacey stood up next to her and they kissed, backing away from the couch and heading around it toward the hallway. Joey, impatient, ripped Pacey's hawaiian shirt open, and faintly heart buttons flying. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders and it fell in a heap on the floor. Joey's hands held Pacey's head in her hands and both of Pacey's hands weaved through her hair, holding her head. As they backed into the hall, both of them moaning and gasping for air as their lips made smacking noises against each others, Pacey brought his hands down to unbutton Joey's jeans and then undo her zipper. Her pulled down her jeans along with her panties, all the while backing down the hall way. In her state, she almost tripped over her clothes and Pacey wrapped his arms around her to steady her before they continued their track down the hall._

_Joey was completely naked as she pulled her body flush against Pacey's and he brought his lips down to her neck. Joey gasped in air to her lungs and then moaned once more as Pacey's wonderful lips did wonders to just her neck. Joey reached down to start undoing Pacey's shorts, when Pacey's back hit something solid and they stopped momentarily, their fuzzy brains not quite registering what had happened._

_Then Joey saw that it was a door. "Good, door, i'll open it," She breathed as she reached and opened the door and as they backed into the room, they were thankful that it was, indeed her bedroom and not a bathroom or something. Joey had managed to undo Pacey's shorts and she pulled his shorts down, along with his boxers and as he stepped out of them, Joey pushed his chest and if the bed had not been there, they would have fell hard onto the ground._

_They lay in a heap of limbs on the bed, both completely naked now, kissing frantically._

_Pacey rolled them over so that he was on top and as he pulled back, he eyes asked what he would have asked out loud back in the bedroom and would still have asked now, but in his drunken state, only his eyes asked the question. 'Are you sure?'_

_In answer to the question in his eyes. Joey put her legs around his waist, her heels digging into his lower back and pushing him forward so that his penis, which had been hovering at her entrance a moment before, entered her._

_They both gasped in pleasure as Pacey entered her and she surrounded him. They weren't sure they'd ever felt anything like it._

_Pacey pulled out and entered her again, somehow feeling complete as he did so. It was weird, as they had sex, it felt more like they were making love. But they were drunk, it meant nothing. That's what they told themselves, even as they did it and would for the time to come._

_Pacey kissed a trail from her jaw down to her neck as he thrust into her again and again. Joey met each other his thrusts, her hips moving up and down in accordance with his. It was like they were becoming one. The pure passion that consumed them as they lay on the bed, moaning in pleasure, was almost too much to bear. Sweat lined their brows, their legs entangled together and Pacey thrust into over and over again, no though coming to their minds except each other and the feel of one another._

_Joey felt herself come at least three times, each time accompanied by a gasp and her clenching tight as she came, her juices surrounding Pacey's penis. Pacey soon felt himself go over the edge and with one final thrust, he let go and spilled into her. And with that, he collapsed onto her, still lightly kissing her on the lips and the neck before, when he finally got his breath back, he rolled off of her._

"Oh my god..." Joey breathed, having remembered their night fully. The body next to her gave another groan and slowly, the body moved onto it's side and onto it's back and Joey, still, for some wild reason, hoped her memory wasn't real, and now seeing Pacey, gasped loudly. "Oh fuck! Oh shit!"

Her yell awoke him and his eyes opened and they stared at each other for one, long moment.


	2. The Morning After

**Chapter 2: The Morning After**

"Oh god, this can't be happening," Joey almost screeched as she turned and swung her legs over the side of the bed and not even thinking, she wraps the sheet around her body and stood up, bringing it with her. Pacey, who had just as big a hangover as Joey, felt the cold air hit him and shivered, covering his eyes as the sun met his eyes and he felt a massive headache hitting him. He lay there and rubbed his forehead as he tried to gain his composure. "This isn't good, not good!" Joey turned around and looked down at the naked Pacey, widening her eyes and turning around again. "Oh geez...oh no," She put her hands over her eyes as if she was seeing Pacey naked for the first time.

"What the..." Pacey trailed off as he tried to ignore his headache, but couldn't. He just lay there, trying to recover from the shock of waking up to a hangover and the sun hitting his eyes so violently.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe i did this. Oh shit, crap crap!" Joey squealed, looking around the room and hoping to see clothes, but she didn't see any of hers, so she just stood there, wrapped in a sheet and facing away from Pacey. "Pacey, could you please, um...like...cover up!" She said, looking sideways and wanting to turn around, but couldn't.

Pacey hadn't got the amount of time Joey had to digest everything, so as he sat up quickly, he was still trying to recover from waking up with a headache. He immediately groaned lay back down against the pillows, holding his head in his hand. "Just..." He sighed, trailing off, not having the strength to say more.

"I know you have a hangover, i do too, but you need to put clothes on!" Joey's words barely registered with Pacey as he slowly opened his eyes, this time ready for the light that hit them. He blinked rapidly and took a deep breath in and out as he truly took in the situation. Then he looked slowly over at Joey, who was still standing with her back to him and muttering "Oh my god, oh my god" under her breath as she ran a hand through her long, silky brown hair over and over again.

Pacey already knows that what they did by seeing his naked state and he could tell Joey was naked under the sheet. He moved to sit up slowly this time and while his pounding headache was mostly all he could concentrate on, he was able to slip off the side of the bed. He hadn't quite remembered their night yet and Joey stopped muttering under breath when she heard Pacey move. She looked away sharply when he came into her view. He had spotted his boxers and shorts fairly quickly, so he had moved over to them. As he was pulling up his boxers, it came to him. He remembered their night together.

Joey laughing as she drank. Him laughing as he drank and them talking.

Joey on top of him.

Joey shifting on top of him.

Joey making him feel something he'd never felt with her before.

Joey leaning down to kiss him.

Him taking off her shirt and kissing her passionately.

Them moving towards her bedroom all the while stripping as they went.

Them kissing and naked on the bed he'd just been lying on.

And him thrusting into her over and over again.

Pacey gasped and froze in his action of putting on his boxers. He knew they'd done it, but, like Joey, he hadn't fully grasped the gravity of the situation till he remembered it. Joey had looked around at his gasp and trying hard to ignore his naked form, especially trying to keep her eyes from traveling downward, she saw the look of realization cross his face and he slowly looked up at her.

"You remember, don't you?" She whispered as she looked down at him.

"Yes..." He whispered quietly. And then, finally seeming to be affected by being naked in her presence, he blushed furiously and pulled his boxers up. "Oh shit!"

"I see you finally grasp this severity of this!" Joey said loudly, ignoring her still throbbing headache as she did so.

"Well, excuse me, i have a hangover and people tend to take a while to remember things when they drink," Pacey pulled on his shorts over his boxers.

"Look-" Joey started, but the phone ringing interrupted her. They both jumped at the sound. Then Joey rushed over to the phone. "It's Dawson, shit!"

Pacey's eyes widened. Dawson. Right. Dawson, his best friend. Dawson, who was engaged to Joey, who he now considered another of his best friends. And he'd slept with her. Oh My God. That was the only thing that could come into Pacey's mind as he stared, wide-eyed at Joey as she very reluctantly pressed the on button of the phone and raised the phone to her ear.

"Hello? Dawson, hey," She tried to sound as normal as possible, but her voice sounded a little higher than usual.

Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll get the rest of your clothes," Pacey whispered loudly to her.

She nodded frantically to him and brought her attention back to Dawson. "What? Yes...no, it's okay that you didn't come home last night." [i]More than okay, or else you would have either caught Pacey and me making out, having sex or just sleeping together in our bed after sex. Oh god.[/i]

Joey looked over at Pacey and they shared a look before Pacey left the room to search for her clothes and his shirt. He didn't need to hear their conversation. He made his way down the hallway and, still trying to ignore his headache, he found her jeans and underwear in a heap on the floor halfway down the hall. He picked them up and even though he was freaking out, he couldn't help thinking [i]i'm holding Joey Potter's underwear.[/i] He shook his head to rid any inappropriate thoughts about Joey and her clothes. He just walked on, found his shirt a little way behind the couch. He picked it up and put it on and went to button it and he was, but then he noticed a few missing. "Oh great..." He muttered. Joey Potter had ripped his shirt open in passion. And now his shirt looked weird on him, not all the buttons being buttoned and you could see a good amount of his stomach. He just sighed and tried to ignore it.

Then he went around to the front of the couch and found her tank top on the floor and picked it up and then looked around for her bra. "Where...?" He trailed off as he looked around wildly for her bra. He remembered taking her bra off and throwing it somewhere, but he had no idea where it had went. Then, by luck, he spotted it in the corner of the living room. "If they just a had a different colored carpet," He muttered to himself as he headed over to the corner of the living room. "Why does everything have to be white?"

He picked up her white, lacy bra and couldn't help thinking once again, [i]I can't believe i'm holding Joey Potter's bra.[/i] He shook his head once again. No, he couldn't think about that. He couldn't think about that or her in any way other than friendship. But that was pretty much shot to hell now that he had fucked her. Oh my god, he slept with her. All he could keep thinking was "Oh my god."

He sighed and tried not to think of what it was like kissing her or what it was like touching her, what it was like feeling her-in every sense of the word. He'd felt passion and connection, but he couldn't fester on those feelings. And so he pushed them to the back of his mind and walked back toward her bedroom-It was easier for him to think of it as just her room instead of her and Dawson's room at the moment.

Oh and not only had he slept with his best friends fiance, he had also slept with her in their bed. The bed they slept together in and had sex in. He stopped to shudder. He couldn't think of them having sex. He'd always blocked that from his mind, even though he knew they had sex. He just...he didn't like thinking about it. He blocked those thoughts out of his mind as he continued to her room.

He entered the room and saw her sitting on the side of the bed, the sheet still wrapped around her and her head in her hands. He sighed and sat next to her. He held out her bundle of clothes. "Here..." He murmured, handing them to her.

She looked up from her hands and then smiled slowly at him. "Thanks," She said and took her clothes. Then she blushed. "Do you think you could...?" She motioned for him to turn away from her.

"Sure sure," He nodded and shifted so he was turned away from her and he looked at the wall that was now in front of his line of vision. He heard the sheet crinkle as she pulled it off of her and then heard her putting on her clothes. For some weird reason he wanted to turn and look at her, to look at her naked body, but he didn't. That's the last thing they needed right now.

When Pacey heard complete quietness overcome the room, he slowly turned to look at her and she is sitting there with her arms crossed over her chest and she was staring straight ahead at the wall. "Well..." He cleared his throat. Part of Pacey wanted to ask her what she and Dawson talked about, but the other part of him wanted to just run far far away from the apartment to his own house. "I guess i should..."

"Dawson's going to be here in ten minutes," She suddenly spoke up. "Seven now, actually..." She murmured.

"Okay, well then i better get going," Pacey said quickly and stood up.

"Ye-yeah," Joey stutters. She would have liked to talk to him about what happened, but she knew they didn't have enough time to even start the long talk this event had caused. It wasn't a conversation they could have in seven minutes and not one they could have in front of Dawson. One they definitely couldn't have in front of Dawson.

Pacey was already out the door of her bedroom and she shook her head and stood up to follow him. "You mind if i take some advil? I have a massive headache..." Pacey asked casually as he could.

"No, go ahead," Joey said behind him and watched as he nodded thanks to her and went into the kitchen, looked for the appropriate pills in the kitchen, got a cup and filled it with water and then took the two pills in relief and drank water to wash them down.

"You should take some too," Pacey sighed.

"I will," She said distractedly. Six minutes now.

Just then a thought occurred to Pacey and he looked at her with panic.

"Wh-what?" She said with wide-eyes.

"We didn't use a condom. I-I didn't use one! Oh shit, oh no!" Pacey yelled, his eyes wide with panic. Joey's eyes widened too at this thought and she started to panic, but then she calmed almost immediately.

"I'm on the pill, Pacey," She said loudly, because she was still slightly panicking.

"You are? Oh thank god..." He seemed to deflate with relief as he put his cup of water down and he leaned against the counter for support.

"And i have morning after pills, i can take them now just to be extra careful," She said. Thank god she had a couple left in the bathroom.

"Okay, that's a good idea," Pacey breathed. The last thing they needed was Joey to get pregnant with their adulterous love child.

"And now, you should go," She looked at her watch. Four minutes. If Pacey didn't leave, they'd have to make up something for why he was here, why he'd stayed over and why he'd been here in the first place. She didn't need that on top of having to lie to her fiance. She just couldn't deal with that.

"Right, right," Pacey nodded quickly and he walked quickly out of the kitchen, almost power-walking to the door as he quickly slipped on his flip flops. Thank god he hadn't warn tennis shoes or anything of that sort last night. He didn't have the patience for that right now. "I'll um..." He murmured as he opened the door and looked back at her. "See ya," He said awkwardly.

"Yeah, see ya," She swallowed.

"Um..." Pacey felt like he should say more, but at the look that Joey gave him, he didn't say anymore and left, closing the door behind him. They didn't have time to talk, although they seriously needed to. Pacey walked out into the sunshine of L.A. and walked as quickly as he could to his car, getting in and turning the car on, quickly putting on his seat belt as he left, just in time for Dawson not to notice his car or him for that matter. He was out of there and speeding away without one glance back.


	3. Joey's Supposed Soulmate

**Chapter 3: Joey's Supposed Soulmate**

Joey watched as the door closed behind Pacey and let out a huge sigh, closing her eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening to herself. She couldn't believe she had cheated on Dawson. Dawson Leery, of all people. Wasn't he supposed to be her "soulmate"? It was weird...her thoughts trailed off as she headed back into the kitchen, so, it was weird, she thought back to her one thought she had before, it was weird that she'd gotten drunk with Pacey before, countless times, she'd been alone with him drunk before, but she'd never ever done anything like she's done the night before. So that thought confused her a great deal as she saw two pills sitting on the counter and she looked down at them, surprised. Had Pacey left them there for her? That's...that was sweet.

And Joey suddenly had a flash of memory to the night before. She was sure Pacey didn't remember it and she hadn't remembered it herself until just that second. She remembered laying under Pacey and he very softly brushed some hair that was in eyes off her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. She now remembered how surprised she had been by him doing that, but then he had kissed her neck, so she forgot all about the gesture. Joey opened her eyes and was finding herself enjoying that little memory. She couldn't help herself.

But then she heard the front door closing shut with a snap and then "Honey, i'm home!" Dawson said in a high-pitched, sing song voice.

Joey winced. She blamed it on the fact that she was hung over, but deep down she knew that when he talked like that and in that tone, it annoyed the hell out of her. She'd rather she use his normal, less annoying voice. She sighed quickly and took the two pills, popping them in her mouth quickly and not thinking, took Pacey's cup of water and downed the pills, sighing in relief as she felt the pills go down along with the cool water going down her throat.

"Jo, honey, where are you?" Dawson said loudly, his voice thankfully in a normal tone, but her headache still made it sound annoying to her, so she winced.

"Kitchen," She called out simply, sighing and getting ready to face him.

And then there he was, standing in the kitchen, a bag over his shoulder, birkenstocks on his feet, a gray shirt and khaki colored shorts and to adorn his persona, a simple gray colored hat on his head which said "Jurassic Park" On it and a dinosaur protruding from the letters. She loved that movie, she did. It was a classic, but she hated when Dawson had to sport his movie obsession all the time, everywhere, and talk about his movie obsession, all the time, everywhere. She just sighed at the sight of him. In that moment, he looked so...plain.

"Sorry again for not coming home last night," Dawson replied sadly to her and walked over to her and gave her a kiss. Then he pulled back at the same time as Joey did. They both wrinkled their noses. "You smell like alcohol."

"You smell stinky," They both said at the same time. Then they widened their eyes at each others words and then laughed quietly. "I just had some beer, sorry," Joey lied with surprising ease, although she had to look away from Dawson. She couldn't look him in the eye at the moment.

"This early in the morning?" He laughed. He looked at his watch. "It's 10 AM."

"Eh, i was edgy," She shrugged. They did have beer in the fridge. She'd have to empty one into the sink to make it look like she actually did drink it, but oh well.

"Miss me that much, hon?" He grinned and rubbed his nose with Joey's.

She forced a laugh and pulled back as fast as she could. That was uncomfortable. "What can i say, i love ya," She grinned.

Dawson smiled even wider, if that was possible and brought Joey into his embrace. "That was the longest night of my life. I have to to try and get night off from now on. No more sleeping without you," He pouted. Joey forced a smile and then it fell from her face. She couldn't hold it.

"You slept? I thought you had to work all night..." She trailed off, narrowing her eyes.

"Well of course i did. I worked, but i was able to get about two hours. What?" He said as he watched Joey. "You'd rather i get no sleep at all?"

"No, sorry. I just, you can't help a girl for wondering..." She trailed off and on the pretense of dropping the subject, she stepped out of his arms. "You really do stink," She wrinkled her nose again.

Dawson laughed and put his hands up in defense. "I'll go take a shower now, okay?"

Joey just nodded and watched him turn around and leave the kitchen. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. That had gone well. It had been too easy to act as if everything was alright, like nothing had happened, nothing out of place. But the whole time, inside, she had been looking at Dawson and feeling horrible. She had slept with his best friend and her best friend, for that matter. It wasn't something she was proud of at all in that moment. She bit her lip and looked down and her eyes caught her stomach. "Morning after pills, right!" She exclaimed as she moved out of the kitchen. Dawson should be in the shower by then.

As she made her way through the living room-she planned to slip into the bathroom, take the pills before Dawson was done with his show-she spotted the half-empty tequila bottle and the two shot glasses. She quickly went over to the coffee table and took the tequila and two shot glasses. If Dawson found the bottle, she'd just say they've had it for a while and act like he was weird or something like that. Really, Pacey had brought the bottle with him, but what could you do?

She quickly brought the glasses and tequila bottle into the kitchen. She but the glasses in the dishwasher, along with Pacey's glass. Then she put the tequila bottle as far back as she could in the nearest cupboard, shut it, then left the kitchen and went into the bathroom. As quietly as she could, she went to the medicine cabinet and searched for the morning after pills. She looked over at the shower. The dark red curtain showed nothing. She didn't know why, but she had liked the color and convinced Dawson to get it. She looked back and found the pills. She took the pill and not bothering to linger anymore in the bathroom, she put the box back, shut the medicine cabinet and then left the bathroom, shutting the door behind her as quietly as she could. Then she popped the pill in her mouth, swallowed it without water, wincing as she did so and then walked back to her and Dawson's room.

It had been two hot in the days of July for them to use their comforter, so it was in the corner of their room on a chair. She looked at the sheets. She didn't see anything wrong with them, but she thought she should wash them, as a courtesy to Dawson. She laughed to herself. Well, she should at least do that. He wouldn't be able to tell and even she couldn't, but she would know. She did know, that she had rolled around in the bed with Pacey, their sweaty bodies most likely leaving some kind of imprint on the sheets. What, she didn't know.

She sighed and ripped them up, including the pillow cases and, what the hell, she brought the comforter with her and-they were lucky to have a double in one washer, so the washer was stacked on top of the drier and they could fit it in a closest sized room. She walked down the hall and sighing once more, opened the door and started to put the sheets in the washer. And, seeing as she couldn't just be washing the sheet, she went back to their room and got all their dirty clothes together and put them in a basket, dropping it in front of the washing machine.

She got the sheets started and as Dawson came out of the bathroom, she explained that she was doing the laundry, including the sheets. He just nodded and shrugged, added the clothes he had had on when he got home and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, Jo, you're the best."

She sighed. "I wish that were true..."

Pacey drove along the highway, lost in thought. He'd been driving for just about a half-an hour and had about another hour and a half before he got home. He lived about two hours away from Dawson and Joey and L.A. out on the beach in Santa Monica. That's where he loved it most. He was the owner of a docking company and he had his own boat and looked after many other when they weren't being used. He had his own house on the beach in this little place off to the side of the public beach. He had been lucky to find a place with a little private beach of his own, even if it was a little small.

Some might say he had come out to California and followed Dawson and Joey, but he liked to think he had made the decision for himself entirely. He liked to think that even if they hadn't come out, that he would have. He had been thinking about coming out there sooner or later. Maybe Dawson and Joey moving out to California had actually been his incentive to get off his ass and do it, but they couldn't be the reason.

He knew he lived a far way out, but sometimes, most of the time, he didn't mind the two hour ride and sometimes it was a two and a half hour ride with traffic and sometimes even three hours if the traffic was horrific, but, what could you do? And he wasn't always the one to go to their place. They sometimes came out to his place. And lately, Joey had been the only one to come out and they'd hang out together, maybe go sailing on his boat. And he'd gotten drunk with her at his house. So why this time? Why had it been different? It was a mystery to him.

Not being able to take the silence and the noise of his own thoughts in his head, which still hurt from his hangover, he reached over and turned on the radio, trying to find something good. He came across some oldies, but wasn't in the mood. He came across some pop, rap...no. He came across country. God no. He winced at the horrible sound and turned the channel, some talking on the radio and he was about to change it when the words caught his attention.

_"-Al, we have our first caller of the day. And if you've just joined in, the topic is monogamy today," _The woman on the radio laugh heartily. _"Great subject to come in on, don't ya agree Al?" _She said a little sarcastically. _"Sure, it's awesome to talk about the wonders of the human brain and just what makes someone stay faithful or not faithful._

_"Alright, so we're keeping the names anonymous, privacy policy and all that, but we have a male calling and you're on the line. What's your life troubles, we're here to help,"_The woman said. A male voice filled the speakers.

_"Uh, hi. I have a problem._

_"We figured," _The guy named Al laughed. The woman laughed with him.

_"Well, i've got this new job and there's this girl-woman. And i'm married-_

_"Ah, you're trying so hard not to cheat. You don't want to hurt your wife, but you want this woman,"_The woman said.

_"Well..." _The man sighed. _"Yes."_

_"Can i take this one, Al?_ A silent conversation passed between the two that no listeners could here or see. _"Okay, let me tell you man. Actually, i have a question for all men. Why can't you all keep you penis's reserved for your wife, girlfriend, whoever you are committed to? And i guess i ask this of women, too, because we do tend to cheat from time to time, but there is still a majority of men out there compared to women who cheat. I mean, is it so hard to keep your penis' to yourself?__  
><em>  
><em>"Ah, but what if that man-or woman-doesn't love their spouse? What if they love the person their cheating with and n o matter how hard they try, they just can't stay away?"<em>Al said.

_"Yeah, that's true!"_The guy who called the radio station said desperately.

_"Well, on the rare occurrence that might actually happen, i guess it isn't as wrong, but it still is wrong. If you're going to cheat on someone with someone you do love, then break it off with that person you hurt them and be with that person you want so badly all you want. How hard is it? And isn't it better to break-up with someone- hopefully it's mutual-and tell them you don't love them the way they deserve to be loved instead of cheating on them and there is no doubt that you will hurt them. It just isn't right to do that. So, man, if you want to do this woman at your new work, then i suggest you divorce your wife. Or, you can go somewhere else to work, so you won't be tempted. Or, if you truly love your wife and think about it, and you don't love this woman in the slightest and she seems like she would be a fun, good lay, then ask yourself if you really want to risk everything for that good time. Or, if you love this woman at your work, than divorce your wife, i say again."_

Pacey couldn't listen anymore. He looked out at the road, thinking. The woman on the radio hadn't talked about drunken sex. Did it mean something, even if you were drunk? Or was it meaningless? That's what he wanted to know. And of course Joey loved Dawson. They were getting married, for christ sake. She had to love him. But why did she sleep with him? It had to be the drinking. That's all it was. Right. Right...

Pacey closed his eyes for a second and then opened them. He had no idea what he and Joey did meant. Or if it was right. If it was a mistake or not. Or what, he didn't know. And the woman's voice rang in his head, but he just couldn't bring himself to agree with her on everything. About the love part in particular. If you loved the person you were cheating on someone with, was it really that easy to just tell the person you're with that it's over? And some situations differed. What if you had been with someone for along time and you couldn't throw away all those years?

Pacey resigned himself to just put it out of his mind for now. He and Joey would talk about it later. He didn't know when they would, but they would. He didn't want to think about the whole cheating thing and if what they did was right or wrong or if anyone loved anyone or not. Right now, he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. So he rolled down his windows, letting the wind wip his hair around a little and sped up along the highway.


	4. Just Friends, Then

**Chapter 4: Just Friends, Then**

Dawson stayed the whole day, actually spending time with Joey. She felt good that he stayed, actually stayed and didn't go to work. But at the same time, she felt bad. When he kissed her, all she could think about was Pacey kissing her and she had to pull back quickly, giving Dawson a tight-lipped, guilty smile and then she had to kiss him on the cheek to soften the blow of her rejection. It had been easy at first to act as if nothing happened, but as her hangover started to leave her, she became more herself and panic started to settle in. She couldn't help feeling horrible for sleeping with his best friend. She shouldn't have.

She had a feeling the guilt would be there for a while. And as they sat on the couch curled in each other's arms, watching a movie that Dawson insisted they watch, Joey couldn't pay attention. She tried to relax in Dawson's arm, she tried to feel good about being curled up with her fiance who hadn't been around so much lately, but she couldn't. All she could think about, all she saw was Pacey and them having sex. They had sex. She had run it through her mind over and over again.

She and Pacey had been enemy's every since they met when they were seven. There first conversation had consisted of insults and growls of anger and from then on they had fought all the time, up until high school. They were still considered enemy's then, but she knew for a while that they had started to become friends halfway through their junior year. They didn't snipe at each other that much, they were civil towards each other and every once and a while they had a meaningful conversation. Their senior year they still didn't call each other friends and didn't hang out all that often. But everyone once and a while, when the list of things to do in Capeside were woefully short, Pacey would miraculously come up with something to do and they'd hang out. Sometimes alone with each other, sometime with Dawson, as well as Jen and Jack, who still lived on the east coast in New York.

But her freshman year in college, when she had been hoping to get back together with Dawson and he had disappointed her once again by canceling on her, she had felt down and Pacey had come over to her dorm and when he noticed something was wrong, he asked her and she told him and he let her cry on his shoulder and had said some not so nice things about Dawson that made her laugh and dry her tears. That had been the first night they had gotten drunk together. And nothing had happened. So why now? That's the question that kept popping up into her head as the day went by.

She remembered Pacey had dated her roommate Audrey for a little more than half a year and during her freshman year she had seen a couple guy, trying to get over Dawson. She remembered she had lost her virginity to a guy named Charlie and had regretted it greatly when about two months later into their relationship, he had cheated on her. She remembered crying on Pacey's shoulder again that night and drinking with him. Dawson had still been in LA at his school. She had Pacey had become closer that year, despite him dating Audrey halfway through the year and he continued to be there when Dawson wasn't.

Then Dawson came back when the summer was over and it was the beginning of her sophomore year and they had slept together. It had turned bad when she had found out he had had a girlfriend and for the whole year they hadn't been that close and she and Pacey soon became what they were now-best friends. And at the end of her sophomore year, she and Dawson talked, came to a conclusion to put the past behind them and try to make it work. So then they officially got back together and had been since then. Sometimes she was surprised they had made it six years and counting.

She had followed Dawson out to Hollywood about two years later and started working at the LA times and before she new it, not three months ago, she had become the editor of the paper. She had risen and risen fast in her job and sometimes she felt it was the only thing keeping her in LA. She actually had more money that Dawson and she paid for most of the rent on their apartment. But Dawson always said he didn't feel bad about it because sooner or later he'd be successful and he'd be taking car of her.

"I don't need taking care of, Dawson. God, why is it always weird when women make more than men and they can pay for things, but not when men make more? I'm sick of it. I don't care paying more. I really don't," Joey had said to him when they first got the apartment three and a half years ago. She had already been months into her job and had enough. But Dawson, being the traditional guy that he was, always said he felt bad and that it didn't feel right her making more than him. She remembered than getting angry at him and slamming the door in his face.

She also remembered getting drunk that night with Pacey as well. It seemed a lot of the times they got drunk together, she was having problems with Dawson or her life in general. They'd laugh, as they had the night before, they'd joke with each other, and sometimes they'd say nasty things about other people-a lot of it at Dawson, because he was the problem a lot of the time. And then they'd pass out wherever they were-be it her place, his place, a bar and they'd either get woken by the bartender and he'd hail a cab to bring them home-depending where they were, Joey would crash at Pacey's till the next day or him at her's-or they'd just pass out at each other's places and wake up the next morning with a hangover and laughing at each other, saying, "Probably shouldn't have drank so much last night."

"You can say that again."

Pacey had always been her rock, she liked to think. He was a great friend and he'd be a shoulder to cry on, a drinking buddy and when nothing was wrong, they just enjoyed each other's company. But before the night before, she'd never had a second thought about Pacey. She'd never thought of him in that way. And now that she had...now that she's touched him that way, had felt that way with him...had felt intimate, everything felt as if it was changed.

And she had cheated on Dawson. Dawson Leery, of all people. They'd always proclaimed to be each other's "soulmate" and she'd believed it everyday they were together, until now. If they were soulmates and meant to be together, how could she have cheated on him? Even while drunk. You'd think that even when she was drunk, she'd be able to resist anyone, because she loved Dawson with all her heart. But if she could sleep with anyone while she was with him-an Pacey, of all people-then it made her doubt. And big time.

She sighed as the movie they had been watching turned to the credits. She hadn't been paying much attention. She felt Dawson yawn and stretch beside her. She yawned too. She felt a little tired and she didn't feel like talking or looking at Dawson. She felt too guilty.

"That was good," Dawson said tiredly.

"Yeah, sure," Joey said distractedly, hoping he wouldn't start asking her what she thought of it, what her favorite part was, because she hadn't paid attention to any of it.

"Hmm...man, it's already 12 am. That was a long movie. We should get to bed," Dawson said as he got up without thinking and Joey had to pull back before he slammed into her head or something.

"Okay, lets," She slowly got up.

"You have to work tomorrow?" He asked as they headed back to their room.

"Yeah, but i get off at-" She stopped. While she was in her trance turning the movie, she had been thinking of when or where she'd go and see Pacey to talk to him. She really didn't want to and every time she thought of seeing him and talking about it, she cringed. She didn't want to, but she knew she had to. They had to figure out what sleeping together had meant, what they were going to do, if they were going to tell Dawson and so on. She knew she had to talk to him or sooner or later Dawson would notice something, like tension or awkwardness. So sometimes during the movie, she didn't know when, she had decided to drive to Pacey's and talk to him. She got off work at 4:30, and it would be at least 2 hours to his place, maybe a little less and then she'd have to talk to him, then drive back. "At..um, 9:00. It'll be a late night for me," I lied quickly.

"Really? I don't remember the last time you worked that late," Dawson said.

"Yeah, how would know anyway when you work even later?" Joey couldn't help but snap at him. When he turned to her, surprise in his eyes, she sighed. "Sorry, i didn't mean that. I'm just tired," She sighed.

"It's okay," Dawson trailed off although the look he gave didn't seem like he forgave her.

"Do you have to work?" She knew the answer before he said it.

"Yeah. I have to get there around 8 in the morning. That's when they start filming for the day," Dawson said.

"Duh," She murmured under her breath. "So when do you get home?" She said quickly before Dawson could question what she said.

"I don't know. We might run over, as usual," Dawson laughed softly with a roll of his eyes.

"Y-yeah..." Joey put on a fake smile. They didn't say anything as they got ready for bed, then got in bed. Joey swallowed loudly as they did so. She had changed the sheets, but still...she could remember it so clearly. Pacey had been where Dawson was now. The guilt surfaced and threatened to suffocate her. She worriedly looked away from Dawson, making sure to lay on her side, her back to him. She couldn't face him at the moment. When Dawson didn't more or say anything, she let out a breath and closed her eyes. Thank god.

She grappled with her guilt for the rest of the night, even in her sleep.

***************

Joey slowed her car to a stop, looking ahead of her. The sun was starting to set and as she looked at the clock in her car, she saw that it said 6:35. She then looked ahead of her at Pacey's house. She sighed. It was a nice house. He did well for himself. And he proved, that just because you don't go to college, that doesn't mean you're a failure and that you'll be nothing for the rest of your life. He was something. He was smart and at times, thought maybe he just wasn't the right smart for college, if that made sense. He was intelligent and she'd been trying to tell him that for years, but it was as if he just hadn't been made for college.

But his house was a fair size. Not small, but not too big. It was a good size. It had two stories. It was even bigger than her and Dawson's place, even though she made more than he did. He was just lucky to have found that nice of a place on the beach. Other houses along the beach were smaller and more worn down. His had been too, but he had touched it up a little bit.

She felt nervous. She felt awkward. She hoped they could be friends or whatever again. She didn't like the tension that had been there the day before last.

She got out of her car and sighed again as she put her hands in her pockets as she walked slowly toward his house, feeling the hot sand against her feet, seeing as she was only wearing flip flops. As she walked up the stairs to his front door, she breathed in a huge breath, held it, then let it out. She stood there for a minute, swallowing the lump in her throat. She was slowly making herself hold up her first and knock. They had to talk. They had to.

[i]Do it now. Knock. Now![/i] She screamed in her head and gathering all the courage she could, she brought her hand up into a fist and knocked on his door and stood back slightly. It took several minutes before Pacey opened his door. He had a shocked look on his face before his expression became somber. Joey couldn't help it, but she took in his clothes, how they fit him and how they appealed to his look. He didn't have that stupid hawaiian shirt on that he had the night they had drunk sex. He had a light blue one one that looked soft and brought out his tan and he had on simple khaki colored shorts on-a little different than Dawson's in that they didn't seen to run on forever and didn't seem to cling to him, so that they hugged his waist loosely.

And he took in her. She had obviously been at work. She had on a soft, light pink shirt, who's sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. The shirt was tucked into a long pair of grey pants that hugged her hips and accentuated her long, long legs that seemed to go on for miles before they stopped and hid most of her black-heeled boots. She had a long black bag draped of her shoulder and her hair hung softly over her shoulders. The light of the setting sun seemed to make her features shine.

Pacey tried to ignore her beauty and how she was affecting him and remember what they did, who they betrayed and why she was here.

"Hey..." She breathed, looking up at him quickly and then down again.

"H-hey," Pacey cleared his throat and moved to the side so she could come in. Joey smiled faintly and walked into his house. Pacey's living room kind of dipped down. You entered his house, then there was his living room. You had to go down a step or too and then on the other side of the room there were the steps that led out onto the balcony. The steps rapped around the living room, making it dipped down. Joey went down the steps and then around his coffee table down onto his couch.

"So..." Pacey murmured as he slowly made his way to sit down next to her.

"Yeah..." Joey murmured as she clasped her hands together and looked at Pacey. He looked at her. They stared at each other for a couple minutes, letting the events of the night before seep into the room, making the tension almost visible.

"About the other night-" They said at the same time to break the silence. They laughed quietly.

"You go first," Joey said, motioning to him, closing her mouth to let him speak.

"Right," Pacey nodded, clearing his throat as he tried to say what he was thinking. "Well i've been thinking these past two days-"

"What a shocker," Joey tried to joke and she smiled at Pacey to tell him she was joking.

"Har har," He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, just trying to relieve some of the tension," Joey said flippantly, looked over at his TV.

Pacey laughed softly. Then got serious as Joey turned back to look at him. "Anyway, i just wanted to say that i'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry i took advantage of you in our state of-"  
>"Wait wait, took advantage of me?" Joey tugged his arm, making him pull his hand away from his face, stopping him from continuing. "Pacey, i'm the one who kissed you. If anything, i took advantage of you-"<p>

"No, you're engaged. You love someone, i didn't stop you. I continued it-"

"But i still kissed you. And we were both drunk. Both of us. Maybe if i had been the only one who was drunk, maybe that would be considered taking advantage, but we were both out of it. We both wanted it. We both are responsible. In this case, it takes tow to tango. You didn't take advantage of me," Joey said firmly, still holding his arm with her hand tightly.

Pacey just looked at her and sighed. "But, anyway, i'm just saying sorry for what we did. It's a mistake and the impulse...the..the...feeling of wanting to do that again has left my body...permanently, i promise..." Pacey said quietly, not looking at Joey as he trailed off.

"Me too, Pace. I'm so glad we're on the same page. I think it was a mistake too. It was wrong and it shouldn't have happened. We were drunk and we weren't thinking straight and it will never happen again, right?" Joey said uncertainly as she looked at Pacey.

"Right, right..." Pacey nodded. "Totally. It was a mistake."

"Right, a mistake," Joey said with false agreement. If it was and she knew it had to be, then why did it feel like it wasn't?

"Because you're with Dawson," Pacey said slowly. "And you two are engaged. You'll be married.."

"Right, we will..." Joey trailed off.

"You think-" Pacey started, then stopped.

Joey looked at Pacey and felt she understood. "That we could forget it and go back to being friends?"

"Well..." Pacey said carefully. "I'd love to be friends again-not that we stopped being friends-i just, don't think we'll be able to forgot it anytime soon. I mean, it's not something one person can easily forget."

"Right..." Joey sighed, closing her eyes. "But...we can't-"

"Jo, look, i know there can't be anything. I don't want it, you don't want it-" Somewhere in the back of his brain, it screamed at him that that was a lie, but he ignored it. "I'm just saying...do you think we could still be friends after what happened?"

"But...i don't want to lose you as my friend or at all," Joey said softly.

"Neither do i, Jo," Pacey said, taking her hand and ignoring the electricity that he felt. He'd been ignoring it for as long as he could remember. "So...maybe we could just..not forget it, but don't mention it? Maybe in time we'll be able to put it in the back of our minds as one drunken night that didn't mean anything..." Pacey swallowed his tears as he looked away from her. Why did he want to cry? He felt so confused.

"We could...try," Joey whispered. But she didn't feel like that was going to work. Her eyebrows pulled together. She didn't think it would work, but she didn't want to lose Pacey. She had to try anything. "Okay, lets do it..." She trailed off, watching Pacey.

"Really?" Pacey said wearily. "And we won't tell Dawson?"  
>Joey sighed. "If we did, he'd never forgive either of us. He'd hate me and you. I just...i don't want to lose Dawson either," Joey whispered.<p>

"I feel...right now i feel as if we did something dirty. Like a dirty little secret that is just..."

"I know. I know, Pacey, but while i don't like that and i don't think it was, we have agreed that it meant nothing. So, we shouldn't..."

"Do you think we could keep it from him? Do you think that's wise?"

"I don't know, Pacey," Joey stood up and started to pace in front of the coffee table. "While i feel bad and i know we should tell him and i'm hoping he would forgive me in time, i also feel like if we never tell him, then he doesn't have to know and then in due time we'll get over it and be able to move on from it and everything will go back to normal-"

"But it won't always be the same..." Pacey sighed.

"Ugh!" Joey yelled in frustration. "I just...i don't know. Can we just...not do anything about it right now. I can't think straight. I don't know what to do. I'm so confused. I mean why would we sleep together? We've been drunk together and we've never done such a thing. I don't get it-"

"I was think the same thing..." Pacey sighed. "I don't know what shifted. What changed?"

"I have no fucking clue," She laughed almost angrily.

"Okay, okay..." Pacey sighed as he stood up. "This is probably really stupid. But at the same time we're both scared cowards who can't say anything. And right now-i don't know if you are-but i'm content being a coward at the moment. Because the thought of what Dawson would do if he found out is-"

"I know, Pacey. I mean, this is just.."

They lapsed into the silence. Then Pacey spoke up. "Do you have time for a boat ride?"

Joey looked at him weirdly and then laughed. "Um, yeah sure..." She laughed lightly at the situation they had gotten themselves in. Pacey laughed along with her.

"Well, shall we?" Pacey sighed, moved towards his front door.

"Yeah, sure," Joey laughed, shook her head and followed Pacey. Well, wasn't this interesting.


	5. My Own Place

**Chapter 5: My Own Place**

Joey felt the wind in her hair, she saw the water splash and even felt a couple drops fall onto her skin. The sun was beating down on her skin, making her warm. Even though the sun was almost gone, she could still feel the heat from it. The sunset she was looking at over the horizon was beautiful. She breathed in the fresh air and smiled. "I've always loved sailing," Joey said, looking over to who was steering the boat. Pacey turned and looked at her, a small smile on his lips.

"Me too. Part of the reason i got a boat," He laughed lightly.

"Ha ha. There's no need for sarcastic comments at this moment, Pacey," Joey stood up and walked over to him.

"Why not?" Pace grinned over at her.

"Let's just enjoy the beautiful day-which is almost the evening-without the usual Pacey and Joey banter. Let's just...enjoy," She smiled, closing her eyes as a full smile graced her face.

Pacey was struck dumb for a second as he watched the setting sun highlight her features as it had when she had first got to his house standing on his doorstep. She wasn't at all dressed right for sailing, but the clothes didn't matter. Her hair whipped around her face and at the moment, he didn't know why, but her lips looked so...kissable. Pacey cleared his throat and looked away from Joey as she opened her eyes. "I can do that," Pacey said quickly, covering up his weird lapse with words and a chuckle.

"Great," Joey smiled. "Man, i just love the outdoors," Joey sighed happily.

"Right back at ya," Pacey gave her a quick wink.

"It's just, the feel of the wind, the freshness-"

"California's air aint all that fresh, Jo," Pacye interrupted her.

Joey rolled her eyes and gave Pacey's arm a light slap. "You know what i mean. And the air out here, out in the ocean isn't that bad."

"True. I mean, sometimes, when i'm out here alone, i just sit here and look up at the sky and around me at the water and just...close my eyes," He did so as he spoke the words. "And i just listen to the sounds around me and take in everything. Man, let me tell you...it is the most relaxing thing in the world."

Joey had been looking at Pacey's face as he talked. And just like him, she seemed to be struck dumb. In that moment, with the setting sun shining on his face, it highlighted his own features. She had admitted it a while ago that he was one of the handsomest men she'd ever met and looking at him now, it was proved to herself that she was right. And at that moment, she felt the strong urge to kiss him as he uttered those words.

"I get what you mean," She said softly, shaking her head slightly and clearing her throat.

"You do?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded softly. "You know, i love it out here and you talk about relaxing and feeling good. I have one of my own places."

"What?" Pacey asked. "How come i've never heard about this place?" Pacey smiled over at her. It wasn't that big of a deal, but part of him really was interested in this place and why she hadn't told him.

She shrugged. "I don't know." She honestly didn't.

"And here i share my special place with you all the time," Pacey's voice was faux outraged. Joey laughed.

"Pace, your special place is a boat in the middle of the ocean, people go on boats all the time. My place is just...it isn't a place that i go on a regular basis. I mean you work with boats for a living. The place i love to go, you can't work there."

"Can i see it?" Pacey asked after a moment of silence. Joey looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes. "Oh, come on, Jo. What's so bad about me knowing of your special place?"

"Not even Dawson knows about it," She explained quietly. And awkwardness that hadn't been there since his house filled the air around them. They avoided each other's eyes.

"I would still like to see it. If you don't mind. I mean you don't have to, i'm not forcing you to do anything. I was just curious, is all-"

"Pace, it's not that big of a deal. You can see it. Actually, i'd love for you to see it," She smiled and reached to take his hand, then pretended to have been moving to place her hair behind her ear, changing her mind at the last minute. It wasn't a very good idea to be touching him after what happened, even if she wanted to. And she brushed her hair behind her ears all the time. It wasn't out of the ordinary.

"Really?" Pacey slowly smiled at her.

"Yeah. Let's go, now," Joey smiled at him. They looked at each other for a long moment before Pacey nodded and with a twist of the steering wheel, he started to turn around and head toward the shore. They were quiet for the rest of the boat ride to the shore. Pacey couldn't help but think he'd know something about Joey that Dawson didn't. He'd be in on something that Dawson had no idea, as if, in some sort of way, he was special. Pacey knew those thoughts were ridiculous. Dawson would always be Joey's number one, they were getting married and it's not like he wanted to her number one. It was just that, knowing about this place when Dawson didn't meant something to him.

Soon they docked and by that time, the sun had practically set. They got out of the boat and they walked towards his house where their cars were.

"You know, Pacey..." Joey decided to break the silence. Pacey looked over at her and she smiled kindly. "I've had fun out on the water today."

"Me too, Potter, me too," He smiled back.

"See, we can totally be friends. This won't be so hard," And she moved over to bump her hip with his. Pacey laughed and bumped her hip back.

"Yeah yeah, totally easy," Pacey said, but he wasn't smiling as he said it. Yeah, it wouldn't be hard. Then, without thinking, Pacey draped his left arm around Joey's shoulders. When she looked at him, he smiled shyly. "Just proving that it's easy."

"Right," Joey nodded and ignoring the screaming in her head not to, she leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder. Pacey was surprised, but he wasn't going to object. Her head on his shoulder felt good, comfortable, like it was...right. "It's getting kinda chilly," Joey said after some time when they were almost at their cars. She pilled back from his shoulder slowly. Pacey let his arm drop.

"Well, hold on, i've got a jacket inside the house," Pacey said quickly.

"Oh no, that's alright Pace. It's not that cold," Joey tried to object.

"No, honest, i don't want you to be cold. I'll just be a second," He smiled as they finally made it to his house and jumped up the stairs.

"Well i can't stop you," Joey murmured. She shifted on her feet, suddenly getting annoyed with her heels, which weren't all that comfortable at the moment. Joey leaned down and took both her shoes off, practically moaning as her feet hit the cool sand beneath her feat. Soon Pacey was out the door and walked toward her. He stopped in front of her and flung his favorite jacket of her shoulders. It was black, leather and so completely him.

"Here, this should be warm enough," Pacey said as he wrapped the jacket around her, pulling it tight around her. Joey felt that Pacey was too close and his breath lingered on her face. It made her shiver as she looked up at him. They looked at each other intensely. "Here..." Pacey whispered, and Joey felt Pacey's hands brush against her neck. She shivered and closed her eyes and Pacey pulled her hair out from under his jacket. Then the moment was over and Pacey stepped back. "Should we go?"

"Y-yeah," Joey breathed, opening her eyes to see Pacey staring at her. "I-i'll follow you," She stuttered.

Pacey nodded as he walked toward his car and Joey shook her head, furrowing her brow. "What was that?" She whispered under breath.

Joey got in her car and backed out and following Pacey, putting on music so she would get through the two hour ride.

Pacey got out of the car. Somewhere between getting off the freeway and heading towards Joey's house, she had taken the front and he had followed her the rest of the way to her spot. Pacey looked over at Joey as she got out and then forward.

Joey walked over to Pacey. She sighed, looking forward like him and then back at him. "Let's go," She murmured and took his hand. Pacey looked down at their hands and found comfort there. He looked up at her with a smile and entwined their fingers, letting Joey pull him along. Soon they were in the general area that Joey liked and Pacey looked around, not saying anything. Soon Joey stopped, making Pacey stop.

"Well..." Joey said, looking around as Pacey looked around. They were on a hillside, the grass was green, trees surrounded them and in front of them was the city of Los Angeles. Lights filled the air, making the night glow. "This is it..." Joey whispered.

Pacey looked down at her. Sensing his eyes on hers, she looked up at him. "I go here when i'm stressed, when i have a lot going on and I don't feel like dealing with stuff. I just come here and look out off this cliff. I close my eyes and things just get kinda quiet..." She breathed, taking in a big breath. "Then i just listen to my surroundings, like you and the city noises, the car horns, the yelling...just goes away up here and i relax, just like you do on the boat. Then i just kinda watch the city. Or the sunset, if i get here before the sun does set. Or i just watch the lights like now. Or, if i ever find time, i come and watch the sunrise. It's...beautiful and natural and standing here, you can just forget the horrible things that go on. When is stand here, it's easy to think that maybe there is good in the world, a lot of good and that the bad is so bad it overshadows the good...standing here, i know just by hearing and seeing and feeling that yes, there is and can be good in the world..." She trailed off, opening her eyes. While she had been talking, she had been listening to things around her and definitely feeling Pacey's hands in hers.

"I know good things don't come around often..." Pacey murmured as he looked down at her, her scent filling his nostrils. It was a beautiful scent. "But when they do, i'm sure they're amazing and that when they come along, you shouldn't let go..."

Joey looked up at Pacey and they stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Then Joey cleared her throat and stepped back from him, dropping his hand. "I should...probably get home, it's past nine and Dawson might be home and could be expecting me home..."

At Dawson's name, Pacey had to turn and hide his wince. Just hearing that name sent a stab of guilt coursing through him. He cleared his throat as well. "Right, well...i should get home too..."

"God and here i dragged you all the way here for just a couple minutes and now you have to go all the way back. I'm sorry, Pacey-"

"Jo, there's nothing to be sorry for," Pacey shook his head. Sharing something with Joey that no one else shared felt amazing, for some reason. And he didn't care about how long he had to drive. It didn't matter to him.

"Right, well i still am, no matter what you say," Joey said as she turned and started up the hill. Pacey sighed and followed after her. Things were just going to get more awkward, he knew it. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything about grabbing a good thing when he came along and holding her and and looking at her so intensely. Now he knew they'd have this tension in the air and they wouldn't be speaking about the moment that just passed between them and they'd act like there hadn't been when there definitely had been.

They both made it to their respective cars and Joey shot Pacey a fleeting glance. "I'll see you around..." She said quickly and then got in her car. But then she got out quickly, making him turn around to look at her. She walked quickly over to him. "Almost forgot to give this back to you," She avoided his eyes and shoved his coat in his arms and then quickly walked back to her car, getting in and then taking off.

Pacey groaned once she left and laid his head on the hood of his car, holding his jacking in his hand. "See ya..." He murmured to no one, groaning again as he got in his own car. Now he had two hours on the road to think about what the hell had just happened on that hill.


	6. Can't Get You Off My Mind

**Chapter 6: Can't Get You Off My Mind**

Joey sighed as she walked in the door. The apartment was quiet and dark, which was how she usually found it nowadays. It was only a little past nine and he wasn't here, as usual. Part of her was happy that he wasn't here, but she squelched it immediately and looked around the apartment, her face sad, but then slowly becoming angry. She slammed the door behind her. "Why are you never here?" She growled into the silence.

She stood there for a moment before sighing and slowly trekking her way into the living room and plopping down on the couch, taking off her heals that she had put back on in the car and throwing them off across the room so that they landed with a thud on the carpet. She didn't know what the hell had happened on that hill, but when she looked into Pacey's eyes and kept looking to the point where she wanted to pull in and kiss him, it had scared her and she had to get away before anything more happened.

She was still so confused by this whole situation. She kept asking herself Why? Why? Why? Why? Over and over and over again. And she couldn't come up with a good answer. She'd felt good when Pacey kissed her. It felt good. And when he was inside her, she felt complete, it had felt amazing. Maybe even more amazing than sex with Dawson and that scared her. How could it be better than with Dawson? If it's just Pacey. But it wasn't _just_Pacey. For a long time, he hadn't been just Pacey. He was so much more. But she hadn't thought to go so far as like a possible relationship with kissing and sex. He'd always been Pacey, her best friend.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. Why couldn't a man and a woman just be friends without the fact that they had different body parts get in the way of it? It always screwed things up. Always. Like it did now. She was happily engaged to Dawson-well at least she thought she was. She knew she had been starting to feel a drift between them, a sadness well up inside her and loneliness come at her full force. But still, she was with him and she did love him and then she and Pacey had to go and get drunk and have sex. Again, why?

It was the alcohol. It had to be. She knew it had to be. Right. If they did it again sober, she was sure it would be horrible. Yeah, it would. That was all she had to hold onto at the moment. It was just a mistake. Maybe the best mistake she had ever made, but still. A mistake. A wonderful, wonderful-

"Hey, Jo, i'm home," Dawson said in his sing-song voice once again. She jumped and looked around to see Dawson entering the living room. Why did he always have to say 'Hey, i'm home,' in that voice. It was always the same. Like a woodpecker pecking on a tree. I'm home, i'm home, i'm home, i'm home. And always in that stupid little annoying voice.

"Hey, sweetie," She plastered a smile on her face as he sat down next to her and kissed her, hard on the mouth. She could tell he was going for passionate in this kiss, but she wasn't feeling it. What the hell was going on wit her? Argh!

"I made it home at a fair time," Dawson grinned as he pulled back and the look on his face was like he deserved the highest of honors for getting home at 9:30. But today, she couldn't complain. Because she had gotten home not much earlier. Today, she was okay with it.

"Well, i'm glad," She smiled a genuine smile at him and kissed his cheek. She stopped though when she smelt something. "Dawson..." She trailed off, pulling back and narrowing her eyes at him. "Why the fuck do you smell like vanilla?"

Dawson just laughed at her expression and pinched her cheek. She looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Jo, honey, i just got some vanilla frosting from a cupcake on my cheek. I swear," He put up his hands and looked at her sincerely.

"How'd it get there?" She said warily.

"A person bumped into me as i was leaving the shop, jeez," And then he laughed an obnoxious laugh. "You're so cute when you're jealous," He continued to chuckle as he got up. "I'll go take a shower," He laughed all the way to the bathroom.

Joey glared after him, seething in anger. But she knew he was telling the truth, because as much as she hated to admit it-why would she hate it? She had to love it-she could see it in his eyes. He was just laughing at her being so ridiculous. Right. He'd never cheat on her. He loved her. She was his soul mate. Still didn't mean he could laugh at her. Asshole.

But then she deflated, groanimg as she tilted her head back against the couch. She had no right to call him an asshole. She was the one who had cheated on him-with his best friend!-she still couldn't believe it, for some reason. And so she shook her head. "Next time, Joey. Don't jump to conclusions," She murmured as she decided to turn on the TV and watch something-and hopefully get her mind off Pacey. With no success.

* * *

><p>Pacey had a lot to think about on his way home that night. He thought about Joey and what they did. He thought about her and their friendship and if they really would be able to act as if they hadn't slept together, that they hadn't been so intimate. Then he thought about Dawson. If Dawson ever found out, he would most likely be crushed and probably end it with Joey. Pacey didn't want to be the cause of anything bad happening between them. And he didn't want to hurt Dawson, he had never intended to do that. And the thing was, Dawson didn't even know Pacey had betrayed him. At that moment, Dawson wasn't hurt. He was happy and engaged to Joey while he worked all the time and at times, Pacey thought, took her for granted.<p>

If it were Pacey, he'd never stay overnight at his job or stay longer than he had to. He would try to spend as much time as he could with Joey and show her how much he loved ever single day till the day they died. But, it wasn't him. And he didn't love her...that way. So what he thought didn't matter in the end because it was Dawson who had Joey, not him. And it's not like he wanted her anyway. They were just friends, albeit best friends, still...friends.

Pacey tried to forget the events of the past three days as he finally made it to his home on the beach. It was dark and the night was silent and the street lights shined down on the gravel and sand below. It was weird to think that four days ago, nothing had happened between him and Joey. They were still just best friends with nothing like sex and hormones and feelings getting between them. It was funny how fast things could change. They could change in an instant. That scared him, he had to admit. One minute he and Joey were drinking, laughing and hanging out and teasing Dawson, next they were kissing and falling onto her bed in a frenzy, sealing the deal, you could say to their betrayal to Dawson.

Pacey slowly made it up the stairs to his front door, sighing as he did so. He tried to ignore all the different feelings rushing around inside him. Guilt was on of the big ones. But then there was sadness because Joey wasn't his and that feeling kept confusing him to no end. He ignored that one the most, so much so that he could barely tell it was there. Then were was anger that all this had to happen to him. That he had to like kissing Joey so much that they slept together and that had to happen in the place she shared with her fiance, Dawson, who was his best friend.

Why did he have to be his best friend? That only made it so much worse. It would have been so much better if at least Joey had been some random girl who was engaged to some random guy he didn't know. The emotions with that situation weren't a lot and weren't hyped up. But the situation he had got himself into was one hell of a one that he wanted to forget, for the sake of all involved.

As Pacey held his jacket in his hand, he did a weird thing and brought it up to his nose. He could smell her scent lingering on it. It was a scent that was so purely Joey. He'd never had and never would smell anything else like it. Then he shook his head and tossed the jacket off to the side and walked down into his living room and then plopped unceremoniously down onto the couch, sitting in the darkness as a sigh of relief escaped him. He all the sudden felt so damn tired. Driving to and back for two hours each way could do that to you.

Pacey sat in the silence of his living room and thought. Where was he in his life? God, he was at that point, he shook his head at no one. He loved his job, he did and he couldn't think of a better place to live, but now with everything that happened, he felt so alone. Why didn't he have a girlfriend? He should have one. He was good looking, he liked to think and he was nice, he also liked to think. He treated the ladies well, always had. So why didn't he have anyone? Knowing that Joey had someone-even though they both would have been better off if she hadn't, because then they wouldn't have done anything wrong by sleeping together-made him feel even more alone than he usually did.

He needed to get himself a girlfriend. Because while he knew one night stands could be helpful-one great night, no strings attached sex was always fun-the person always left and you were still as alone as you were before the one night stand. And he knew. He'd had his fair share of them. But he'd also had girlfriends and while he knew at the time he were with them that they'd never last, he had fun while he was with them and liked them and he felt good. He knew relationships were hard, he'd had them with Andie, Audrey and other women and most of the time you felt like it wasn't worth your time and maybe for some it wasn't, but at that moment, as he sat in the dark, the clock ticking, the moonlight shining through his sliding door to light up a little of the room, he felt so alone. And that depressed him. Why couldn't he have his own Joey? Why did Dawson get the childhood friend that turned into a girlfriend?

Before Pacey could ponder the questions he asked himself, his phone rang, making him almost jump out of his skin. "Shit, that scared me," he murmured as he looked quickly at the clock-11:16. Who was calling this late at night? Pacey moved down the couch to the side table where his phone sat and picked up the phone. "Hello?" He said into the phone wearily.

"Pace!" A female voice yelled into the phone, giggling. "Hey, he picked up!" He heard the woman snicker to someone who was with her.

"Jen?" Pacey said after a second. It had taken him a moment to recognize the voice. Then he laughed when she hollered in response to his questioning of who she was.

"Yep, that's me, pretty boy," She giggled into the phone.

"Jen, it has to be past two over there, what are you doing?"

"Me and Jackers here-" He heard the rustling on the other line and then he heard Jack yell, "Jen, you're strangling me! Get off!"

"Oops," She said as she obviously released Jack. "Anyway, me and my friend Jackars are at a club, getting drunk and having the time of our lives and then i just had this sudden thought. I have to call Pacey!"

Pacey tried to hold back his laughter. "And what would happen if you didn't?" Pacey couldn't hold it back. He laughed out loud.

"Nothing good, Pace, nothing good," Jen said seriously into the phone. Pacey could here the blaring club music in the background.

"Well, i think you and Jackers should probably head home. It's late over there and here as well and i'm sure you'll regret drinking and staying out so late in the morning," Pacey cautioned. He knew just how true those words were.

"I always regret it in the morning," Jen laughed. "I'm used to it."

Pacey just sighed and smirked as he rolled his eyes. "Was there a point to this phone call, Jen?" Pacey asked.

"Pacey, get with the program! I already told you nothing good would come of me not calling you. I had to!" Jen yelled loudly into the phone. "Jackers says hellooo, by the way," Jen drew out the word 'hello' as she said it. "I'm serious, that's how he said it," Then Pacey heard a noise and Jen said "Ow! Well, it's true Jack."

"Well tell him i say hellooo back," Pacey laughed and he heard Jen saying loudly, "Pacey says hellooo back, Jack! Haha, that rhymes," Jen giggled.

"Okay, Jen, well, i'll leave you two to your fun. But do try to get home in one piece, okay?" Pacey said, chuckling.

"But i'd be so much funner if i went home in six pieces. Don't ya think, Jack?" There was a pause and Jen growled. "Funner is too a word!"

Pacey laughed. "No it's not, Jen. Anyway, you called me. Nothing bad is going to happen now. The world rights itself. So goodnight Jen. Have fun with the hangover in the morning."

"Huh? You say something, Pace?"

"Love you, Jen," Pacey said.

There was a pause. "Aw, Pacey, i love you too. You have no idea how happy that makes me," She sniffed.

"Damn, how many have you had to drink, Lindley?" Pacey laughed. "Goodbye now," and he hung up before she could answer, shaking his head with a laugh as he put the phone back. He'd almost forgotten about Joey while he was talking to her. Almost.


	7. Movie Night

**Chapter 7: Movie Night**

"Honey, i'm home!"

_Could you stop greeting me in that annoying little sing-song voice?_ Joey thought angrily to herself, but then scolded herself. _Just ignore it. Get over it._

"Hey, Dawson," She smiled as he entered the kitchen where she was currently making herself a sandwich. It was lunchtime and while she had been a little surprised that Dawson had made it home for lunch, in the end she didn't care. At least he came home for once.

"Guess who i invited over for dinner and a movie tonight," Dawson said as he walked over to the fridge.

"Well, the only one of our friends who lives near enough so that they could make in time for dinner and a movie would be Pacey," Joey said, looking over at Dawson as a sudden dread came over her.

"Good guess, you are correct," Dawson smiled as he brought out ingredients for his own sandwich.

"Uh, why did you invite him over?" Joey said, avoiding eye contact with him and all the sudden she became really interested in spreading her mustard just right.

"We haven't seen him in almost two weeks and I miss the guy, what can i say?" Dawson shrugged as he stood next to her and got his own bread out.

"Ah, i see. So what movie are we watching tonight?" Joey asked.

"I told Pacey to pick it," Dawson said.

"What?" I said as i looked at him. "Dawson, he's most likely going to bringing over some cartoon or something," Joey tried to joke.

"There are some good cartoon movies," Dawson said nonchalantly. "Anyway, i always pick the movies and i thought Pacey should have a shot."

"I'll be preparing myself for something heinous," Joey laughed. Of course, she was sure the movie would be fine, she just always joked about these things with and about Pacey. And acting like she was kept up her facade that nothing had happened, that nothing had changed. And nothing had...she tried to tell herself. And of course, it had only been three days since she saw Pacey, not two weeks. But Dawson didn't know that.

She ate in silence with Dawson. She didn't know what to talk to him about. Which she knew was weird, because they talked a lot, they always did. But right now, she just felt awkward. She missed Pacey, she knew that and it had only been three days. And while she was dreading tonight-how were they going to be able to act normal with Dawson, act as if nothing had happened between them?-she was also excited to see Pacey. Would he be excited and dreading tonight just like she was? Or was he just going to be dreading it? She wondered how he had acted in his phone call with Dawson. Pacey still hadn't stood face to face with Dawson and have to deal with the guilt and the awkwardness.

"Well, i have to get back to work. They're filming an important scene today," Dawson said as he stood up, went to the kitchen sink and put his plate and glass in there.

"Yeah, i have to get back to the paper," Joey said as she stood up as well.

"Bye, Love you," Dawson kissed her on the cheek and left.

"Bye," Joey said, Dawson leaving before she could say anything else. She sighed and got her purse and left, happy to get back to work.

*************  
>Pacey was nervous as he walked toward Dawson and Joey's apartment. He hadn't seen Dawson in a while...how long was it? He couldn't remember. But he had talked to him this morning. Actually, Dawson had called him. After what happened, he wouldn't be calling Dawson willingly. He hasn't wanted to. When he heard Dawson's voice, his stomach dropped and he tried to make his voice sound normal. Like he hadn't done anything wrong. Like he hadn't had sex with Joey, his fiance.<p>

Dawson seemed totally oblivious, anyway. Not that he and Joey had left in any hints or acted as if something was wrong.

Then Dawson asked if he wanted to come over that night to have dinner and a movie, hang out a bit. Pacey had been hesitant. He had tried to think of a way out of it. How was he supposed to handle being there with Joey and Dawson for hours? He didn't know how he would be able to. But then Dawson had guilt tripped him. "Come on, man, you haven't been around for a while, i miss you man. And i got another night off and i know Joey's happy. I don't get many of them nowadays. Why don't you want to see us?"

"I-i do Dawson," Pacey replied lamely.

"Okay, so we'll see you tonight?" Dawson had said in a happy voice.

"Su-sure," Pacey replied. Well, he was also kind of excited to see Joey and all. It had been three days since he last saw her...it was just that being close to her at the moment didn't seem like a good idea, even if he wanted to. But, he couldn't get out of it. He'd just have to control himself and be on his best behavior.

Pacey sighed and knocked on the door. A few seconds later the door opened to reveal Joey. They looked at each other for a long moment. "Potter," Pacey said.

"Witter," She nodded, moving to the side so he could come in.

"Where's blondie?" Pacey asked when he came into the apartment and didn't see him.

"He's late," Joey sighed in frustration as she brushed passed Pacey.

"So that means...we're alone," Pacey said slowly, looking at Joey's retreating form. She always had nice, long legs and her ass-[i]No, Pacey! Stop it.[/i]

Joey turned around and looked at Pacey. "He'll be here soon. He called," She said said and escaped into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home!" She called.

"Yeah!" Pacey called back. "Not likely," He said under his breath. He went into the living room and sat down on the couch. He looked down at the couch. He remembered what had happened on the couch. He cleared his throat and looked away. "You ever sit down on this couch and..." Pacey said loudly, trailing off. They had both said they knew they wouldn't be able to forget what had happened, so why not bring it up?

Joey entered the living room and blushed. "Uh...yeah," She said as she set down a plate that had crackers and cheese on it. "I thought, you might be hungry and this will keep up until Dawson gets here," She said, sitting back.

"Thanks," Pacey said as he eagerly reached for a cracker. Well, he was hungry.

"Yeah, i knew you would be hungry. You always are," Joey tried to lighten the mood.

"Excuse me, Potter, i just drove for two hours, actually two and half, the traffic was so bad, give me a little credit," Pacey said as he put the cracker with the cheese on it in his mouth whole. Joey watched as crumbs fell onto his shirt.

"Ugh," She rolled her eyes and stood up, heading back to the kitchen.

"So what are we having tonight?" Pacey asked.

"What movie did you bring?" Joey shot back, stopping a second to lean on the back of the couch. Pacey turned his head to look at her.

"I think you'll like it," Pacey smiled.

"What is it?"

Pacey reached into the bag he had brought with him and pulled the movie out. He handed it to her. "The Bourne Identity?" Joey looked at Pacey. "I've never seen it, but i know it's an action movie. Pacey, why would you say i would like it, i hate-"

"Jo, its more than just action. Yes, it has it and it is awesome, but it has a story to it. It'll be so awesome."

"Dawson won't like it," Joey said. "Ha, Dawson will regret telling you to choose the movie," Joey laughed.

"What?"

"Dawson hates anything action. I bet he thought you were going to bring The Notebook or something," Joey said.

Pacey laughed. "Dawson is the only guy who would like that movie," Pacey laughed harder.

"Hey, i love that movie," Joey said. "It-"

"Yeah, that's understandable. You're a girl."

Joey stopped, raised an eyebrow at Pacey. Pacey stopped, stuttered. "Um, i mean, a woman, very strong, independent, intelligent-"

"You've saved yourself for now, Witter," Joey ruffled his hair.

"Hey, there is romance in this movie," Pacey held up The Bourne Identity.

"Yeah amongst all the action?" Joey called back, laughing.

"You'll see, Potter, you'll see," Pacey called back.

Just then, the door burst open to the apartment just as Joey was walking past it. "Oh, Jo, i'm so sorry, i only just got out of there," Dawson said, moving toward her. "I'm so sorry. Is Pacey here yet?"

"Yep, i am," Pacey said as he walked out of the living room. Joey was glaring at Dawson, Dawson was looking at her with a puppy dog look and Pacey smirked. Yeah, he saw Dawson and he could totally act like nothing had happened.

"Great, so what's for dinner?" Dawson said quickly, dropping his coat off to the ground.

"Dawson, how many time do i have to tell you to hang up your coat," Joey growled, picking up his goat and moving to the hall closest to hang it up. "I'm not your damn maid. Or a housewife. But, tonight i made chicken with mash potatoes and some vegetables on the side, if you guys are feeling healthy," She said as she closed the hall closet door.

"Chicken and mash potatoes? Yum," Pacey smiled.

"Yeah, i know it's your favorite," Joey rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, i am hungry," Pacey grinned as he moved toward the kitchen.

"You made his favorite? What about my favorite?" Dawson whined to Joey.

"We didn't have ham, Dawson and i didn't have time to go to the store," Joey snapped.

"Ew, thank god you didn't. Ham is disgusting," Pacey stuck out his tongue as he moved to get his own plate.

"No it's not, Pacey. It's delicious."

"Dawson, you're the only one out of us three that likes it," Joey pointed out. Whenever she smelled ham, she felt like throwing up. She got a plate after Dawson and watched as Pacey cut perfect slices off the chicken that looked like a turkey, but was much smaller.

"I still like it, regardless," Dawson said as he sighed as if having chicken was the worst thing that could happen to him and the cut himself some pieces.

"Whatever. Mmmm..." Pacey moaned. "This is great, Jo," Pacey took another bit and closed his eyes, moaning.

Joey didn't know why, but she blushed deeply and looked away from Pacey. "Thanks," She managed to get out as she cut her own pieces. She got mash potatoes and some green beans and celery. "Of course you wouldn't have any vegetables," Joey rolled her eyes at Pacey as she sat down next to him, Dawson on her other side.

"I avoid them if i can," Pacey said as he eagerly bit into the chicken.

"So tell Dawson what movie you brought," Joey smirked over at Pacey as she took a bite of the chicken. "Wow, i am good," Joey grinned, tasting the chicken.

"Don't inflate your ego too much," Pacey rolled his eyes.

"I'm not," Joey shook her innocently.

"Right-"

"Pacey, so what movie did you bring?" Dawson smiled, leaning forward. That was his favorite part of nights at home. When he watched a movie.

Pacey and Joey stopped their little dance. Joey smirked at Pacey knowingly and Pacey sighed, looking at Dawson. "The Bourne Identity."

Dawson scoffed immediately. "You were right Jo, Pacey shouldn't have brought the movie," Dawson shook his head. "Pacey, why do you torture me?"

Pacey rolled his eyes. "Dawson, its a movie and a good one at that and i'm torturing you. You're the one who always tortures us with you movie loving-"

"Pacey," Joey warned. "Why don't we just eat and then watch the movie. I'm sure if you give it a chance Dawson, it'll be good," Joey said soothingly.

"Whatever," Dawson said as he stuck his fork angrily into his chicken.

Pacey laughed quietly. Dawson and Joey looked at him. "What?" Pacey asked simply.

"Nothing," Joey widened her eyes at Dawson, telling to shut up.

Their conversation turned into muddled nothing about work and if anything interesting happened.

Soon they were done and they were sitting on the couch. Joey sat in the middle, Dawson on one side and Pacey on the other. She felt very uncomfortable.

"I'll put the movie in," Dawson reached past her toward Pacey, who put the movie in his hand. Dawson looked at the cover with a raised eyebrow and then went to put the movie it. When he sat back down, he pulled Joey into his arms.

"Umm..." Joey said quietly, but Dawson didn't here her. She looked over at Pacey, who looked at her. They looked away from each other.

Then the movie starts and they are all silent as it starts. Pacey is sucked in immediately. He loves the movie. It's so interesting and not just because of the action. Everything grabs you in. And the action doesn't hurt.

"I'm going to get popcorn, kay?" Joey says abruptly, moving out of Joey's arms.

"Sure, but hurry back," Pacey said at the same time Dawson said "Take your time."

Joey just rolled her eyes and disappeared to make popcorn. Pacey ignored Dawson and watched the movie. Dawson was always like this if he couldn't watch a movie he wanted, a movie he liked. It had always annoyed Pacey. But Pacey wasn't going to complain. He did feel guilty seeing Dawson and him wanting to be the one with Joey in his arms just made him more guilty.

Almost five minutes later Joey came back, bringing the smell of popcorn with her. "Ah, yum," Pacey grinned as she sat down, but this time-unconsciously-she sat closer to Pacey. No one seemed to notice. Pacey grabbed a handful of popcorn right away.

"Pig," Joey muttered with a shake of her head as she too some popcorn as well.

"Pru-"

"Nuh uh!" Joey held up a finger. "I am no longer a prude. I used to be, but i am one no more," She said said with a satisfied smile.

"Fine, i give," Pacey held up his hands. Joey grinned and turned back to the movie. "What have i missed?"

"Nothing exciting," Dawson said in a bored voice. He looked about ready to fall asleep.

"Shut up, Dawson," Pacey said angrily. And he did, shrugging his shoulders. Pacey paused the movie real quick. "Jason Bourne was shot in the back two times and he was floating in the water, unconscious when this boat with a crew, like a fishing crew comes across him. A guy gets the bullets out of him and then notices something else in his back and it's some little tracker kind of thing that turns out to have an account number on it-you'll see later on and then Jason Bourne wakes up and attacks the guy, asking what he was doing to him and who he is. He has amnesia and he tries to figure out who he is for two weeks while he's on the boat and when it docks, he goes his own way and we meet some other key characters, like Chris Coopers character, Brian Cox-they are both the bad guys. And now Jason is sleeping in the park because he has nowhere else to go and he just beat up two cops easily because they said he couldn't sleep in the park. Now Let's watch," Pacey pressed play.

Joey soon found herself getting sucked in as well. The suspense, the action as Jason was stopped in the bank but he was able to fight off the men with ease and he had to climb down the building to get away from the cops. Then the romance started to begin when Jason got a ride from a german woman, Marie.

The two were eating popcorn, Dawson's hands sneaking in to take some popcorn every once and a while. Joey had never seen the movie before, Pacey had, but he still enjoyed it very much and he liked watching Joey's reaction to things. Joey's eyes were wide and one point in the movie. Seconds before she had jumped when a man crashed through the apartment Jason and Marie were in and her eyes were wide as she watch them fight and they looked utterly shocked when the man jumped through the window, killing himself.

"My god," She whispered as the main characters when down stairs to the lobby of the building and they saw the woman who had let them in shot in the head.

Pacey smiled. He knew she would like it. Dawson...on the other hand.

He was asleep by now, his head lolling to the side. Apparently suspense and excitement and action didn't excite him very much. Pacey tried not to roll his eyes. Dawson didn't even jump awake when Jason made something explode so he could hide himself from someone who was trying to kill him. Joey jumped.

"Still skittish," Pacey laughed. "It's not even scary," Pacey said as she turned to him with wide eyes.

"Yes, it is Pacey! And it's scarier because it's closer to real life than stupid horror movies."

"An brainwashed assassin who got a conscious and couldn't-"

"Pacey! You almost revealed the end!" She put her mouth over his. Pacey laughed as she slowly lowered it from his.

"You're cute," Pacey smiled.

Joey looked at him. "Really?"

"I-i-i just meant...you being scared..it-it-its cute," Pacey stuttered, blushing and looking to the movie, where now Jason and the man were shooting blinding in a field, trying to get each other.

"Okay..." Joey said cautiously and turned to look at the movie too, a blush coming to her face as well. There had been a moment between them. She tried to forget it and thankfully the movie was interesting enough that she could-for the moment.

"Look at what they make you give..." The man Jason had shot and was dying said.

They continued to watch the movie in silence, Dawson snorting every once and a while.

**************  
>"Aw, after all that pain they get to be together," Joey sighed as Pacey turned off the movie. Dawson was still asleep, snoring slightly. "Yeah, well it isn't happily ever after, i can tell you that," Pacey shook his head as he went to get the movie.<p>

"What do you mean?" Joey said as she set the empty popcorn bowl on the table. She just realized at that moment that it was dark in the living room. She moved over to turn on a light.

"Uh, there's two more movies in the Bourne series..."

"Really?" Joey turned around to look at Pacey as light flooded the room. They both blinked at the sudden light.

"Yeah, but i didn't bring them with me..." Pacey said.

"Bring them next time or whatever. Both of them. I need to see them," She said seriously.

"Alright, i will," Pacey said as he closed the DVD case. They both moved and somehow they were standing next to each other and looking down at a still sleeping Dawson. "If he was bored with this-" Pacey held up the DVD "-i'm surprised he can sit through the movies he likes."

"I agree...he's just not a big action person," Joey said.

"He didn't even give the movie a chance. The moment Jason Bourne starting beating people up he lost interest. God, sometimes Dawson is such a pansy," Pacey said, exasperated.

"Pacey!" Joey hit him on the arm.

"What," Pacey laughed. "Sometimes i wonder about him," Pacey joked.

"So [i]not[/i] funny," Joey said.

They fell into silence as they stared at Dawson. Thoughts wondered to their night, the wonderful night they knew was a mistake, but wished they could make over and over again. Neither could or would admit it.

"Dawson has a big forehead," Pacey said into the silence, tilting his head to the side.

Joey turned her head to look at him. "What?"

"Sorry," Pacey shook his head with a laugh. "I just noticed all the sudden. And now, i am tired of watching Dawson. Didn't hang out with that much, but i really couldn't find much to talk to him about, especially since we..." Pacey trailed.

"Yeah, Pacey, i know," Joey sighed, moving away from him.

"I think i should go," Pacey said.

"Yeah, this big lump isn't going to get up anytime soon," Joey shoved at Dawson's shoulders. He fell to his side on the couch and snored louder.

Pacey tired to hold back his laughter as he headed toward the door. "Well, this was fun," Pacey turned to Joey as she followed him toward the front door.

"Yeah, it was," Joey smiled. They had been able to ignore the weird attraction they had been starting to feel for each other and have fun. "I loved that movie."

"Me too, that's why i bought it," Pacey smiled and they stood there, staring at each other. "Anyway," Pacey said as he moved and opened the door. "I'll see ya," Pacey tried to say casually.

"Yeah, i'll see ya, Pace," Joey nodded and Pacey left. They both let out a huge breath once Pacey disappeared behind the door. That had been an interesting night.


	8. A Good Friend

**Chapter 8: A Good Friend**

"Miss Potter?"

Joey looked up from her desk and at the young intern who stood there nervously. "Yes?"

"Your...your fiance is here to..um, see you," The intern looked at Joey, waiting for a response.

"My fiance? Dawson?" Joey was shocked. She looked at her watch. It was well past lunch time. So why was here? "He never comes here," Joey murmured.

"Um..." The young intern shrugged, looking like she didn't know what to say.

"Alright, send him in here," Joey said. What did he want?

"'Kay-i mean okay," The intern stuttered and left the room.

Joey sat back in her chair, swiveling back and forth as she looked at her computer, where she was currently editing one of her journalists story that would hopefully be able to be printed and in the newspaper by tomorrow. She loved her job. She loved editing and doing her own pieces every once in a while, giving her opinion as well as the facts that proved something was true. She prided herself by that fact that she didn't let stories that were complete bullshit, complete lies go into the paper. The LA Times was a very big newspaper and ever since she had taken the mantle of editor a couple months back, she was happy to see the good reviews come in. While some were bad-there was always someone wanting to put it down, no matter what-she didn't let that effect her. She knew papers have been getting less popular over the years, but the LA Times was still a big and respected paper. It was up there with the New York Times.

Before she could do much more thinking, Dawson was in the room, a wide smile on his face. "Jo, how much do you love me?"

"Um..." Joey said, looking at Dawson. "A lot?" It came out sounding like a question.

"Good, good," Dawson didn't seem to notice her uncertainty. "Well, over at the studio, they-we-just finished an episode, the fourth episode of the season, can you believe it?"

"No," Joey shook her head. She didn't even really know or care what show it was. Had she ever asked? She couldn't remember.

"Now, i must celebrate. With you and maybe Pacey and some people from the set-"

"Pacey?" Joey cut him off. That's all she seemed to here. She heard his name and she tensed. "We just saw him yesterday. You know, watched a movie, hung out-"

"Nah, i don't think that counts. I fell asleep during that god awful movie he brought-"

"The Bourne Identity was an awesome movie, you didn't even give it a chance," Joey said defensively.

"Eh, too much action-"

"The move had more than action in it, you know," Joey said. Then she sighed. "I'm not going to argue with you about a movie. Anyway, why should you celebrate finishing an episode? Doesn't that only happen when you finish a season or something-"

"Jo," Dawson look outraged. "That ridiculous. You always have to celebrate."

"We've never celebrated before," Joey said.

"Yeah, i have. Always-" He stopped. "But, i've felt we've gotten closer ever since we got engaged. Every passing day we've gotten closer and closer," He smiled and walked around her desk to take her hand in his and kiss it. Joey slowly pulled it out of his, although she felt like ripping it out of his.

"Really?" _Because i feel we've gotten further and further apart_. Joey didn't voice the last part, just thought it. She barely saw him, he was always acting weird-like he was now. Maybe it was just how he always was and she'd never noticed it before. He seemed to be in his own little world. Had he always been like that? She frowned.

"What's wrong?" Dawson said, noticing her frown.

"Nothing," Joey shook her head. "Just wondering why you never celebrated with me before..."

"Oh, it's usually just me and a couple people from the set, having a drink," Dawson cleared his throat and stood up, moving away from her.

"You know you're only the assistant director, right?" Joey raised an eyebrow.

"And that has to do with this because?" Dawson asked in an indignant tone.

"Nothing," Joey shrugged. "Look, Dawson i can't just drop my work to hang out with you because your work finished an episode for a show," Joey said carefully. "I still have a story to edit," She sighed.

"Oh, so i see your work is more important than me, i get it," Dawson looked hurt as he turned to leave.

Joey scoffed. She couldn't help it. "How dare you, Dawson!" Joey stood up then and glared at him.

"How dare i what? Speak the truth?" He glared back.

"It isn't! You are the one who's always working," Joey said angrily. "I'm always at home when you aren't, wishing you were there. You choose your work over me all the time and make me feel hurt and the one time i choose work-and gladly, because the one time you want me with you it's for your own benefit-you get all angry and act the victim. Well no, i won't have it!" Joey said and she pounded her fist on her desk.

"Excuse me?" Dawson looked at her with wide-eyes.

"Dawson," Joey said through clenched teeth. "I thought you would have realized by now, the whole world doesn't revolve around you. You can't always get your way," Joey snapped.

He gasped as if scorned. "Screw you, Joey Potter," He acted as if she just blew up at him for nothing and stormed out of her office.

Joey sighed and sat back down in her chair. "No, screw you, Dawson Leery," Joey said as she put him out of her mind and went back to editing, the thing she loved most about being in LA.

******************  
>Pacey watched as the boat moved slowly to the shore, near the dock and then stopped and a few people jumped off. They walked toward him, punched in that their boat was back, safe and whole.<p>

"Joseph, you still owe me your monthly payment," Pacey reminded the leading man of the group. The man sighed.

"I know, Mr. Witter, things are just slow at work this month. I still haven't got my paycheck."

"Hey, what do you know, neither have i," Pacey said sarcastically.

"Look, i'll get you your money soon," Joseph promised.

"You better, or that lovely boat of yours will be moved, possibly out far away in the ocean where you can't get it," Pacey said it in all seriousness. "No money, no dock to keep the boat," Pacey said.

"Yes, yes," The young man sighed as he walked away with his friends.

"I gotta pay the bills too," Pacey called after him.

The young man just waved a hand up in the air and left.

Pacey sighed and walked away into the building that was his business. The Oceanside is what he had decided to call it. Because, they were at the oceanside. It was only fitting. "Aw, Colleen, your shift is over, you can go," Pacey said to the teenage girl who was currently sitting at the counter drifting off. She jumped at his voice. He gave her a knowing smile when she looked at him apologetically. "It's okay, i do that too when it's slow," Pacey chuckled.

"Sorry," She sighed and stood up, going into the back to change into her regular clothes. "I just drifted off," She called to him.

"Happens to the best of us," Pacey called back. He'd drifted off plenty of times in his day. As Pacey starting counting the money in the cash register-something that had to be done everyday-Colleen came out dressed like she was going out. "Got a date?" Pacey inquired.

"Um, yeah," The girl said nervously, biting her lip. The move made him think of someone he knew very well and he looked away.

"So is it the first date?" Pacey inquired, keeping half of his mind on the bills and half on the conversation.

"Boyfriend, actually," The girl blushed and looked down. "He's really sweet. The best boyfriend i've ever had. And earlier this week he asked to take me out on a date. I was surprised, because we're already together, why would we need to go on one?" She laughed sweetly. "But, he insisted we needed it, so," She shrugged.

"Go, have fun with the boyfriend," Pacey smiled kindly at her.

"Thanks, Mr. Witter, see you Monday," She said and she left.

Pacey sighed as he finished counting the money and wrote it in the record. "Not as much as i'd like, but..." He trailed off and then started to close up. He had about seven employees over all-it was a lot to pay for, but they were a big help and he payed them a fair amount. He was a fair guy. He loved his business and he'd have no reason to be here if it wasn't for his business.

Pacey thought of Joey and wondered...well, maybe his business wasn't the only reason for staying-no. She was just a friend. That was all.

As if on cue, his cellphone rang and when he looked at who it was, it was none other than Joey Potter. She was in his thoughts a lot recently. Probably because they had had a drunken night of sex-but...

Pacey flipped his phone open and brought it up to his ear. "Jo?"

"Pacey, hi," She sighed into the phone. She sounded a little exhausted.

"You okay?" Pacey furrowed his brow. "You sound tired."

"No, just frustrated," She said.

"Well, what do i owe the pleasure of this call this fine evening, Miss Potter?"

Joey laughed softly. "I just...mind if i come over to see you?"

"Huh?" Pacey stopped in his task of closing the windows.

"I mean...i had a fight with Dawson and i don't feel like going home-"

"Wait, you had a fight with Dawson?" Pacey asked, very curious now.

"Yeah, it's nothing, really. He was just being Dawson. Anyway, i just feel like hanging out with a friend, is that a crime?" She said a little impatiently.

"No, it's not. But Jo, we just saw each other last night. And it's a two hour drive-"

"One hour," She said. "I've driving toward your place already," She sighed.

"And you decided to just now call me?" Pacey laughed.

"Well, i didn't really know where i was going till i was on the freeway and then i kept thinking how crazy i was being and am i really doing this? And before i could think rationally i was closer to your place than mine and then i said to myself...i should probably call Pacey to let him know i'm coming. I mean, i shouldn't come unannounced. And we are still friends, aren't we? We did agree to that, even if we-"

"Jo," Pacey laughed. "Not that i don't mind your company-i mean you're always welcome, but what will Dawson say?"

"I'll just say i was at work," She said distractedly.

"Jo," Pacey said seriously. "I think one secret is enough-"

"Yeah, but i don't want to get into it with Dawson, so i'll just say i was at work."

"But we're friends and i'm sure Dawson wouldn't get mad at you hanging out with me. I mean, you've done it before."

"Look, Pace, is it okay if i come or not?" Joey snapped.

"Yeah yeah," Pacey said, a little startled by her attitude.

Then she sighed. "Look, Pacey i just need a friend right now and you're all i have at the moment. At least with in driving distance."

Pacey sighed. "Okay, Potter. I'll see you in an hour."

"Thank you, Pacey."

Then she hung up. Pacey sighed and closed his cellphone. He wasn't unhappy that he got to see her twice in two days, it was the fact that she sounded to unhappy. What had she and Dawson fought about?

************  
>Joey smiled for the first time in hours. The segal's were hovering around, the waves were crashing against the beach, the air was warm, a little muggy, but not too bad. The sun was almost set and Pacey's house looked very inviting at the moment.<p>

She went up to his door and knocked. After a few moments he answered the door. The hawaiian shirt he was wearing actually looked good today. That was a first. He was wearing simple jeans that somehow made him look not so simple. And he had no shoes on. She smiled softly at him. Seeing him was a comfort.

"Hey," She said.

"Hey yourself," Pacey nodded and stepped aside. She herself was wearing black pants today and a dark blue dress shirt with blue heals. As she walked in front of Pacey, she didn't notice him looking her up and down. "I love you work outfits," Pacey smiled as she turned to look at him.

"I love yours too," She smirked at his casual outfit.

Pacey just laughed. "Hey, i changed," He explained. They made their way into the living room and Pacey got serious. As Joey sat down, he raised an eyebrow. "So, you want to tell me what happened between you and Dawson?" He sat down next to her.

Joey sighed. "Well, i'm in the middle of work, at my office and all, editing away on one of my journalist's stories when all the sudden i'm informed that my fiance is there-Dawson never goes to my place of work. So, already, this seems weird," Joey explained. Pace listened, letting her speak, not saying anything. "So, he comes in and looks all excited saying they finished an episode for his show. Like, whoopee, okay? So? And he goes and says i have to come out and celebrate with him because they finished filming an episode. But we've never done that before, ever. And why does he want to do it all the sudden? I don't know. But i decline...i mean, i'm not going to waste my time-cutting work so i could get a drink with him, when i could totally do that after work-and he goes and gets all huffy, saying i think work is more important than him-and i'm like 'you're the one who always does, always choosing work over me and the one time i do'-for a good reason, i might add-he gets all on my case! And when i point this out to him, he acts as if he's this poor little victim and that i always do it to him and that he has no idea what i'm talking about. I mean, it's infuriating!"

Joey stood up and started to pace, muttering under her breath, looking angry.

Pacey sighed as he watched her, taking her words in. "Wow, that is..." Then Pacey started to laugh. This made Joey stop and stare at him.

"What's so funny?" Joey scowled.

"I'm sorry, i just..." Pacey laughed. "That is the most ridiculous thing ever," Pacey laughed.

"What, my side or his side?" Joey said uncertainly.

"His side, of course," Pacey laughed. "Could Dawson actually be so stupid?" Pacey knew it was rude to say this about his best friend, but right now, after hearing her story, he couldn't help thinking it. It was like...come on!

Joey didn't say anything for a second as she looked at Pacey. Then she started to laugh too. She sat back down on the couch as they slowly stopped laughing. Then Joey sighed. "Yeah, it probably wasn't worth getting so upset about. But...i seriously-it just made me so mad!"

"I know, i know," Pacey pulled her into his arms, hugging her. "I would be too, even if i knew Dawson was being stupid."

"I probably got so mad because he was being stupid," Joey sighed as she pulled back from Pacey. "I mean, he seriously was all like 'excuse me'? 'screw you' in this dignified tone. As if he had the right to do so," She shook her head, pursing her lips together.

"Wait, Dawson said 'screw you' to you?" Pacey asked.

"Yeah," She sighed. "His parting words."

"Well screw him," Pacey growled angrily. The anger in his voice surprised Joey.

"Wh-what?" Joey asked, surprised.

"He shouldn't talk to you like that. Especially when you don't deserve it."

"Pacey..."

"No, just forget about him for now, Jo..." Pacey said as he stood up.

"What?" Joey was surprised, to say the least.

"I have The Bourne Supremacy. Why don't you stay and watch it?" Pacey said.

"Really? Cool," Joey suddenly got excited.

"Yeah, that'll take your mind off him. Man, i'm sorry Jo. I can't believe him," Pacey sighed as he got the movie out and put it in the DVD player.

"What do you have to say sorry for? You didn't do anything," Joey said with furrowed brows.

"I feel sorry for you, you could say," Pacey sighed. "Dawson is being an ass."

"Yeah, he is, but i can't be angry at him for long," She sighed.

"Why?" Pacey asked. When Joey looked at him, he understood. "Oh-but you, us-you and me, we have nothing to do with how he's acting."

"I know, but i feel like i don't have the right to be angry at him, because of what i did," She sighed.

"Joey," Pacey sighed as he sat next to her. "He doesn't even know about you and me and what we did. And if he's acting like this without even knowing, well he doesn't really have an excuse, does he?"

"Well no, but-"

"Joey, i thought we were never going to tell him. We're putting it behind us," Pacey said.

"We are-"

"So you shouldn't feel bad about being angry at him when he clearly deserves it," Pacey pressed.

"Pacey, we haven't exactly put it behind us yet. It's only been a week," She said.

"But we're never going to tell him. It was just a mistake, we've settled that matter already. So just be angry at him, especially when he deserves it."

"I guess," Joey sighed and then smirked over at Pacey. "How is it you always manage to say the right thing?"

Pacey smirked back at her. "I'm just that amazing," He grinned.

Joey laughed. "Right."

"Now, do you want to watch the movie or not?" Pacey raised an eyebrow.

"I do, I do," Joey nodded as she settled against the couch.

"Then shut it," Pacey said teasingly with a laugh as he reached for the remote and pressed play on the DVD.

"Now that was mean," Joey grinned as she settled into his comforting arms.

"Yeah, but i was teasing, i wasn't serious," Pacey explained as he smiled and put his arm around her, loving the feeling of her against him. He leaned down and pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

"True," She murmured as they focused on the movie that was starting. "Thanks for being a good friend, Pacey," Joey murmured.

"It was no problem," Pacey smiled. It really wasn't.


	9. One More Chance

**Chapter Nine: One More Chance**

Joey felt extremely comfortable as she felt warm arms around her. Her head rested gently on a warm chest. Light hit her eyes as she slowly opened her eyes. She yawned immediately and pushed softly away from the comforting chest, the comforting arms. Her moving made him move. Joey looked over at Pacey and sighed. When had they fallen asleep? And on the couch?

It took Joey a moment to realize that they were laying down lengthwise on the couch and her legs were tangled with his. Well, this seemed familiar. "Shit," Joey huffed as she sat up and looked down at Pacey who was starting to stir. Joey felt cold all the sudden and a big part of her wanted to just lay back down and feel his warm arms wrapped around hers, but she couldn't. At least they hadn't had sex.

Joey was the one that was closer to the back of the couch and she'd have to either wake Pacey up or climb over him to get up. When had they laid down and fallen asleep? Sometime after the movie was over, she knew. She had felt so tired. And Pacey's arms were so warm and comfortable she had fallen asleep almost immediately.

Joey bit her lip as she thought of what to do. She sighed and very slowly untangled her legs from his. She felt even colder now. She shook her head and started to move so she could get over him. She had long legs, she could do this. She just had to be careful. Moving so that both arms were on either side of Pacey, she lifted her long leg up and over. It hit his the floor quietly. Okay, she could do this. She let out a breath as she stared down at Pacey.

Her heart stopped. She now realized that she was over him, basically straddling him. She hadn't thought of this. She probably should have just woken him up. God, she was stupid. She couldn't believe the situation she'd gotten herself into. And she hadn't gone home last night, opting to sleep with Pacey- literally just sleep with him -she could never go there again, having sex with him. But the position she was in now reminded her of it. Flashes of their night popped into her head and she closed her eyes, remembering.

She wasn't paying much attention to her arms and legs anymore, so before she could stop it, she shifted, her arm that was on the outer edge of the couch went up and when she brought it back down again, she slipped. Her leg came off the floor and she fell on top of Pacey hard, making him wake up immediately, groaning.

"Damn it," Joey said as she started to try and get up. Pacey started moving too, confused, having had no time to process the situation. "Just-let me get-no, my leg-ah!" Joey squealed and Pacey gasped as they rolled off the couch in a tangle of limbs and dropped onto the floor with a loud thud, Joey on the bottom and Pacey on the top. Pacey grunted and groaned as he pulled himself up.

Joey looked up at Pacey and they looked at each other, pausing in their movements as they realized how close they were, and what position they were in. "Um..." Pacey murmured as he looked down at her. Her body felt good pressed against his and he had been sleeping comfortably before he felt all her weight press down on him, surprising him into awareness. He had been so confused and shocked he'd been trying to move and get up from the couch, but then they had just ended up on the floor. Pacey cleared his throat and pulled himself away from her.

Joey blushed and sat up once he got up from her. "Sorry," She murmured. "I was trying to get up without waking you...that didn't work so well," She laughed softly.

"Yeah," Pacey sighed as he looked over at her. They stared at each other in silence and then look away. Pacey stood up. "Well, since you're here, you might as well have some breakfast," Pacey said quickly, moving to leave the living room to go into his kitchen.

"What-no, that's okay, i can just leave now. I shouldn't have stayed the night anyway," Joey sighed as she stood up and moved to her shoes which she had taken off half-way through the movie.

"Joey, by the time you get home it will be well past breakfast time and closer to lunch. You need to eat something," Pacey sighed as he disappeared into the kitchen.

Joey contemplated just leaving, but her stomach growled and she gave up. She might as well. It's not like she and Pacey did anything wrong, like a week ago when they had sex.

Joey dropped her shoes and left the living room and went into Pacey's kitchen. It was a nice kitchen that had a long island in the middle of it with bar stools and then to the right was a table that could seat at least eight people and then there were wide windows that overlooked the ocean. Pacey had already gone to open them, making the sound of the waves wash into the kitchen. "It must be nice to wake up to that," Joey sighed as she went over to the island and sat down as Pacey started to rummage through his fridge.

"You have no idea," Pacey smiled as he came up from the fridge with orange juice. "So what do you want to eat?"

"Hmm, well what do you have?" Joey asked.

"I have..." Pacey went pack to the fridge. "Bacon, eggs, waffles, toast...some cereal," Pacey laughed as he searched the cupboards as well.

"Hmm...bacon and waffles sounds good," Joey said. She was in the mood for something sweet, but she just couldn't pass up the bacon.

"Alright," Pacey said as he took out the bacon and waffles as well as the syrup. He turned to his stove and took out the necessary pan to start the bacon.

"You know," Joey smiled softly as she watched Pacey swiftly put the waffles in the toaster and put the oven on the right temperature to warm up the pan. "You could have been a great cook as well," Joey commented. She remembered eating some of the food he made in the past. It was always really good.

"Jo, it's just waffles and bacon. Not that hard," Pacey laughed softly as he started getting out plates and utensils.

"No, I don't just mean now. I remember eating food you've made in the past. It's really good."

"Well, if I ever go out of the business i have now, i'll cook," Pacey smiled as he sat a glass of orange juice in front of her.

"There you go," Joey smiled and drank some orange juice. Soon Pacey had the bacon in and the waffles were done toasting. He gave her a plate with the waffles and a fork as well as a knife. "Here, you can have the waffles while you wait for the bacon," Pacey handed her the syrup.

"Great," Joey started cut up her waffles, though she did it slowly. She wanted to take her time in eating, for some reason. She felt she was having fun just eating breakfast with Pacey. It was weird.

Before long, Pacey had the bacon done and he made himself his own plate and handed her her bacon on a napkin. She had already been eating her waffles by this time. She smiled in thanks and he sat down next to her, and started eating himself.

"Thanks for making me breakfast," Joey said sincerely. "This bacon is so good," Joey smiled as she bit into the crispy meat.

"It's no problem," Pacey smiled as he bit into his bacon. Like last night, he thought, it really wasn't.

Joey drove the two hours into LA and to the apartment. She felt well rested-actually better than she had slept in a while, even though she had slept on a couch and her stomach was full. She left Pacey's with a blush on her face. They had slept intimately and whenever she thought of it and how close they were, she thought of their night of drunken passion. She knew someday she'd have to put it in the back of her mind, but it had only been eight days since that fateful night and it was still very fresh in her mind.

She sighed as she turned her car off and headed for her apartment. She was dreading this, she knew. She was still angry at Dawson. And what would she say when he asked her where she had been all night? _Oh, i was just sleeping over at Pacey's...you know, you're best friend who I had sex with a week ago..._ No, that wouldn't work. Definitely not.

When Joey walked into the apartment, she checked her watch. Almost ten o'clock. She was about to call Dawson when he came rushing down the hall pulling a shirt over his head. He stopped in surprise when he saw her. Then he composed his face and scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well if it isn't my fiance," Dawson said.

Joey felt the need to roll her eyes, but stopped herself. "Yes, it's me."

"And what time is it?" He looked at his watch pointedly. "Why, it's 9:58 AM in the morning. And guess what, the bed was empty next to me last night. Hmm, well isn't this interesting."

Joey just snorted. "Like you haven't done it too."

"Done what?" Dawson said angrily.

"Not come home all night," Joey growled.

"Yes, but at least I call and tell you where I am," Dawson defended himself. "For all I know you were off sleeping with another guy."

Joey tried not to blush. Technically she had, but she hadn't actually slept with Pacey. She just...slept with him. She shook her head. "Look Dawson, I was angry at you. You were an ass. I went over to Pacey's and he let me sleep in an extra room. He's a really good friend now and again," She muttered going to hang up her coat.

"You stayed over at Pacey's?" Dawson said curiously.

"Yes, because I didn't want to see you or talk to you yet. I was still too angry. And Pacey, by the way, totally agreed with me," Joey said as she closed the closest door and turned to him.

"Agreed with you on what?" Dawson asked.

"That you were being stupid," Joey said.

Dawson sighed. "Yeah, I know I was. But Joey, you have to understand...I mean, is it a crime if I want to spend time with the woman I love?" He said as he came forward and put his arms around her waist, bringing her to him.

"Dawson," Joey pulled away. "What you did was more than just a little innocent request. You were trying to pull me away from work for your own benefit. You can't just take me and give me away whenever you like," Joey explained.

"I know I was stupid, I was just...excited. I always feel great when I finish something. When we finish an episode. Isn't that how you feel when you finish a story?"

"Yeah, but I don't go to you in the middle of your work day telling we have to celebrate it," Joey crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, the film business is a much bigger deal," Dawson said without thinking. He then winced.

"Excuse me?" Joey looked at him angrily.

"I-i mean, it-it-"

"Oh, so just because people get rich in the film business, it's bigger and more important than my work? Fuck you!" She hit him angrily. God, she should have just stayed at Pacey's.

"I'm sorry, it's just slipped. I didn't mean it-"

"Oh yes you did! Or else you wouldn't have said it," She hit him again on the chest, forcing him backward.

"Ow! Jo-Joey!"

"You arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed asshole!" She screeched. How dare he treat her job like it was just any common job and didn't mean that much. As if what he was doing was much more important. "You know you're only the assistant director! I bet all you do is get the director's coffee! And I make more than you do. If anything, you job is the one that isn't a big deal!" She hit him again. "God, I hate you!"

"Jo, you don't mean that. This is just a fight we're having. Saying things we don't mean," Dawson kept trying to stop her from hitting him, but couldn't. He sighed as she delivered each blow to his chest. "Anyway, I have to get to the set," Dawson said.

Joey stared at him with wide-eyes as her jaw dropped. "What, you're just going to act as if what I said doesn't mean anything? This isn't just a fight. This is you being an asshole and degrading my job!"

"I didn't degrade your job," Dawson snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Ah!" Joey pushed him the hardest yet and he stumbled backward and onto the floor. He looked up at her with wide, shocked eyes. "Are you so stupid that you can't even tell when i'm being serious and that we have a problem!" She kneeled down in front of him. "I'm seriously starting to doubt why I even agreed to marry you. So, if you want to save anything that we might have, I suggest you pull your head out of your ass and really think if you want me. Because i'm not getting that vibe from you. I can't even be here right now. I'll be back later after work and we'll talk then. If you haven't pulled your head out of your ass by then, this relationship is over!"

She stood up all the way and turned around walking down the hallway, all the way to the door, making sure to slam it behind her. She needed a drink.


	10. Wrong?

**Chapter 10: Wrong?**

Joey poured the tequila into the shot glass. She was only going to have this one shot, because she was at her desk in her office at her job. She had stopped at a liquor store on her way to work and when the tequila burned down her throat, she sighed in relief. Her headache was starting to leave. Her fight with Dawson had done a number on her. She was so angry at him it had caused her to get a headache.

She put the tequila and shot glass in a drawer and sat up, going back to her work. As she worked, she thought. What had happened to Dawson? In the last year he had seemed to be getting farther and farther away from her. Maybe he'd always been like this and her sleeping with Pacey was some sort of event that made her see the light or whatever. But in the back of her mind she knew this rift that seemed to be between them had started a long time before Pacey was ever in the picture. Not that he was in the picture now. He was just her friend. It was a mistake, what they did.

And she knew no matter how stupid Dawson was being, no matter how big of an ass he was being, she'd still cheated on him. With his best friend. She'd always feel guilty about that. But even if she felt guilty for the rest of her life, that didn't mean she should have to suffer through Dawson's antics. They had a problem. She didn't feel close to him, he was annoying her a lot recently and the last person she'd had sex with was...Pacey. She couldn't even remember the last time she and Dawson had had sex. And that was sad. They were supposed to be madly in love, having sex every night, not being able to keep their hands off each other and while she knew every couple had their problems, she expected to be generally happy.

But they didn't have some ordinary problem. The way she'd felt when he'd first kissed her ten years ago was amazing. It had felt electric. It had been what she'd been expecting. But now, whenever he kissed her, she practically felt nothing. That scared her. A year ago, when he had proposed, she had been so surprised and happy and had said yes. But now...

Joey sighed as she looked at the clock. Her eyes widened. Almost two hours had gone by since she had got to her job. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the time passing at all. But she still had a coupe hours till she had to face him. It hit her that she was really scared that today she has a relationship, but tomorrow she might wake up without one.

It all depended on Dawson.

* * *

><p>Joey walked slowly into the living room that evening. Dawson looked over at her from his spot on the couch. They didn't say anything to each other. Joey just sat down carefully on the other side of the couch. She sighed.<p>

They sat in silence for several minutes before Dawson spoke up. "Did you really mean it?" He said with sadness in his voice.

"Mean what?" Joey asked, looking at Dawson.

"That you'd end this," He gestured between them.

"Yes," Joey said simply.

"Jo," Dawson whispered as tears formed in his eyes. "We've been together for six years. And we were friends ever since we were like five before then."

"So," Joey shrugged.

"So?" Dawson asked incredulously. "Jo, you couldn't possible thinking of ending a twenty year relationship."

"Six years, not twenty," Joey said and continued before Dawson could say more. "We were just friends, childhood friends. And we were on and off for four of them, but we weren't together for twenty years. And yes, we have the history, but that doesn't equal a lifetime together," Joey tried to explain.

"What do you-"

"I'm saying, just because we were childhood friends and have a long history doesn't automatically mean we're meant to be together," Joey explained quietly to him.

"What, so you're ending it, like that?" Dawson's voice was pained.

"No, i'm not ending it," Joey sighed wearily. "I said I might end it if you didn't pull your head out of your ass," Joey said angrily, getting frustrated.

Dawson sighed-it sounded as if he did it in relief. "So you're not ending it?"

"Dawson, no. But I might. With the way you're acting right now-"

"You're mad at me," Dawson interrupted her with a sad sigh.

"Good job, Sherlock," Joey said sarcastically, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Joey, i'm sorry-"

"Tell me what you did," Joey said quickly.

"What?" Dawson looked at her, confused.

"Tell me what you did," Joey said it slower this time. "Tell me what you thought you did wrong. Because earlier today you were acting like you had done nothing wrong. And you did. You did," Joey felt her eyes watering and blinked rapidly. She wasn't going to cry. Not now.

Dawson paused and then he nodded his head. "I was rude to you."

"That's part of it, keep going," Joey said, sitting back and waiting, raising an eyebrow at him. He sighed and was silent for a few moments.

"I insulted your job and in turn, you," Dawson sighed.

"Oh my god, call the authorities, Dawson Leery has a brain," Joey said bitterly with a sarcastic smile.

Dawson sighed and looked at Joey. "You done?"

"I could go on," Joey said, but she didn't go on.

"I did more?" Dawson asked at the look on Joey's face.

"Think back to yesterday," Joey prompted.

Dawson sighed. "I acted as if my job was more important, that i was more important and that you had to drop everything for me, when what I wanted you to do wasn't all that important."

"You've had time to think. Now, you haven't exactly pulled your head out of your ass yet. But you do know what you've done. Now, what are you going to do about it?" Joey asked.

When Dawson was silent, Joey sighed and, uncrossing her arms from her chest, she sat forward. "Dawson, we have a problem," Joey said.

Dawson looked at her. "You mean more than just what I did?" He asked.

"You feel like we're getting closer? I feel like we're getting further and further apart," Joey sighed, looking down.

"What?" Dawson asked softly.

"You're always at work, we don't cuddle, we don't laugh, i can't even remember the last time we had sex..." Joey trailed off uncertainly, looking at Dawson.

"I could fix that last problem," Dawson started to lean forward.

"Dawson, no!" Joey said angrily, glaring at him. "Sex won't fix our problems."

Dawson sighed. "I don't know, Jo. I love my work and not every couple has to cuddle and we do too laugh-"

"Ha, when?" Joey said, looking at him.

Dawson furrowed his brows and the silence stretched on. He finally sighed. "Just because we don't laugh doesn't mean the end of our relationship."

"I'm not saying that," Joey said, sighing.

"Then what are you saying?" Dawson said loudly, getting angry and confused at the same time.

"I want you! I do!" Joey said, annoyed. "But it doesn't seem like you want me. Everywhere I turn you're at work or you're tired and want to sleep or watch a movie or something else besides me!"

"Well I haven't been getting the vibe from you either," Dawson said softly, looking at her.

"Do you want to be with me?" Joey asked.

"What? How can you ask that? Of course i do," He scooted over and pulled her hand into his. "I love you. I asked you to marry me. If I didn't want to be with you I wouldn't have asked you to be my wife. My forever," He whispered. Then he asked, "Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes..." Joey said slowly, thinking hard. Did she? Well, they had had good times and she shouldn't just give up like that. Maybe something could be salvaged. And she did love him. She did. But...was it the right love? Yes. It was. It had to be. And she was 25 and getting older. She couldn't be alone forever. But if Dawson was going to keep treating her the way he had been, why should she put up with that? A mental war started inside her brain and she looked down at the engagement ring on her left finger. She could give it back to him and say goodbye. But thinking of that made her feel sad. She'd be alone. She's lose her oldest friend-and the man she'd had the longest relationship with ever.

"I can cut back my hours. I'll...i'll respect you more. Jo, please don't end this just because of this one time. Give me a second chance. I mean, we're getting married soon. I think i've finally pulled my head out of my ass and I will be so much better to you Joey. I think that fire we always had will come back. You are my world, I hope you know that," Dawson said softly, kissing her hand.

She sighed. Him kissing her on the hand just felt wet. But what if she gave up on a good thing, never having gave him a second chance? Having gave them a second chance. Because she knew she had been pulling away too. But, from now on she had to push herself in. If she took it for granted, she might loose him. She didn't want to think of that at the moment.

"Make love to me," She whispered. He was her fiance. She loved him. He was going to try. She was going to try. This had to work. She'd made a stupid, drunken mistake with Pacey. And at the moment, she was settling on the fact that it had been the alcohol. It had enhanced her senses. It had also clouded her judgement. People were aloud to do that at least once in their life, weren't they? It was time for her to get back on track with Dawson. She was going to marry him. She felt confident at the moment that they could make it back to their old selves. This was going to work.

"Gladly," Dawson said and kissed her passionately.

Joey sighed as he pulled her up off the couch. This felt good. It felt comfortable. She knew how it was with him and she had been a little scared she had been forgetting what it was like.

A half hour later Joey rolled off Dawson and turned to her side, her back to him.

"That was amazing," Dawson grinned over at her. "Did you...?" He trailed off.

"Yeah, I did," Joey said awkwardly. Had she orgasmed? She couldn't tell. That had been...refreshing. She had liked that. See, she could do it. That had been totally comfortable and like every other time. It was familiar. And that was good.

"I love you, Joey," Dawson said, seeming very satisfied.

"Uh, you too," She said and closed her eyes. Sure, that had felt comfortable, but why was there this stupid little nagging voice that would not leave her mind that kept asking her: _But did it feel right?_

It had to be, it was Dawson!

But...yeah, it was comfortable and familiar, but had it been good? Had it even been exciting?

Sure, sure, She told herself. Course it was.

Then why don't I feel very satisfied?

It's been a while, that's all, she argued with herself.

But you said it yourself, it was familiar. Like every other time.

But...

She had no other arguments against herself. And as she tried to fall asleep herself, her mind kept drifting back to Pacey and their night that had taken place almost nine days ago. And she would never admit it to herself, but whenever she had closed her eyes, blocking Dawson from her view, she'd think of Pacey. His hands. His kisses. His gentleness. His caresses. The pleasure he'd brought her.

Then she'd open her eyes and there was Dawson.

Yeah, she was doing the right thing. They were getting their second chance. It was right.

Then why did it feel so wrong?


	11. Feeling Something

**Chapter 11: ****Feeling Something**

A week passed. The day after Dawson and Joey made up, Pacey had called Joey to see how things had went. If they had made up. She had told him yes, they did. And that was that. She didn't tell him about their second fight and that she had thought of ending her relationship with Dawson. She didn't tell him about the sex. She probably would have joked about her and Dawson having sex as a way of telling Pacey, like she had done when she had told him after her first time with Dawson. And he knew she had sex with him, but she never declared it every time. She felt no need to tell him that. As for the other part, she didn't know if she couldn't tell him. It had been on the tip of her tongue, but she had closed her mouth before she said anything. She knew it had to be because they had slept together. It was as if things had changed ever since then. Not in a big way, but there were small things here and there that were different, not quite normal. They had done something she couldn't forget and as much as she wanted things to go back as if nothing had happened, things couldn't. And the thought of telling Pacey she had thought about ending her relationship with Dawson had her scared, in a way. And she had no idea why.

So, six days after that, Joey and Pacey hadn't said a word to each other, they hadn't seen each other. Joey felt that things were improving with Dawson, if only a little. He hadn't stayed at his work overnight since they made up. They slept in the same bed. They had movie nights. The only thing wrong was that they hadn't had sex since they made up. They'd sleep in the same bed. Dawson might drape an arm around her and pull her to his chest. But neither made a move. She soon realized she didn't really feel like having sex with him. And that worried her. She knew there was more to a relationship than sex. But sex was a fairly big part of one.

But, most of the time, she didn't want to think about that. She was just determined to fix things with Dawson before they got married. She wanted to be happy and in love. And sleeping with Pacey had sort of flipped this switch so that she wasn't loving Dawson all that much and she wasn't all that happy. But she'd always loved Dawson. For a long time. How could she stop now? She was so confused at times she felt her head spinning.

While she was trying to fix her relationship with Dawson, she was always planning their wedding. It was to be in a month and a half and that wasn't a whole lot of time to plan. So while she was trying to fix things with Dawson, she was also working everyday and then trying to plan. And she would talk to Dawson and she could swear he wanted more in this wedding than she did. A lot more.

He wanted it to be in a church. He wanted to invite hundreds of people. He wanted to have a beautiful place for the reception and lots of food and drinks and dancing. The whole shebang. She'd rather there just be their family and friends, which wasn't hundreds of people. She'd rather they have it outside, like on the beach or something. Once she joked to Dawson that they could have it on the beach where Pacey lived. Dawson had looked at her like she was crazy and scoffed "I'd rather not get married in my best friend's backyard, thank you very much."

"Well, if we don't get married on a beach, how about a hill? With grass and a we could set up a tent for the reception and-"

"Nah, there'll be all these bugs and it will be hot and uncomfortable. We need someplace cool," Dawson said in a tone like that was that.

Joey sighed and shrugged. "Okay, if you want that."

"Well you want it too. You are the bride, silly," Dawson smiled and then turned and left the room where they kept their computer.

Joey furrowed her brows. He'd just told her what she wanted when it was clear that wasn't what she wanted. She just sighed and shook her head. "Maybe you could be the bride, Dawson," Joey called out.

"What?" Dawson stuck his head back in the room.

Joey looked back at him and smiled softly. "Nothing."

Joey had actually been thinking of revealing her place to Dawson and suggesting they had the wedding there, on the hill overlooking the city. But now she knew she'd be wasting her breath. He didn't want an outside wedding. He wanted an inside wedding. In a church. A big church.

No, Joey couldn't stand for that. Joey pushed away from the computer and went to find Dawson in the living room setting up a movie. She sighed, but then glared at him, looking strong. "Since when do you get off deciding everything for our wedding?" Joey growled at him.

Dawson looked back at her, surprised. "Huh?"

"Since when do you get to make all the decisions? Last time I checked, wasn't it always the bride who went all crazy and decided everything and the groom always stood back and let her do whatever. Why are you deciding things for me? For us?"

"What are you talking about?" Dawson furrowed his brow.

"I don't want a church wedding," Joey sighed, annoyed. "I don't want it to be this huge thing. I don't want to invite hundreds of people. I just want friends and family. Like a small wedding. And I want it outside, either on a beach or on a hill. I want it to be romantic, not traditional!"

"Woah woah, calm down Jo," Dawson said as he walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sure we can compromise."

"Yeah yeah," Joey nodded slowly.

But, somehow, someway, at the end of the conversation, they were still left with was Dawson wanted.

"Weddings!" Joey exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and leaving Dawson to his movie. Which was E.T. For like the millionth time. "I feel in the mood for it," Dawson explained.

"You're always in the mood for it," Joey muttered.

Everyday that passed by seemed closer and closer to this big impending doom than a day of happiness and love.

Joey felt like she was going lose her sanity if she didn't get away from Dawson and the wedding. And she knew just what to do-or who to see.

* * *

><p>Pacey locked the door behind him, closing up Oceanside for the day. The sun was setting, the air was quiet, barely a whisper of wind and if you took away the obvious pollution, it was and had been a beautiful day.<p>

It was nearing the end of the month of July and Pacey was going to be spending his night shifting through bills, adding up his profit, how much he'd have to pay his seven employee's and how much spending money he'd have for himself to get the everyday necessities. He hated the end of the month. Paying the bills was always annoying.

He loved that he lived just down the beach from his work. Granted, it was all the way on the other end and he either had to walk all the way across the beach, but usually he didn't mind. He loved the sand beneath his feet. And if it wasn't too hot, he'd take his shoes off and feel the sand between his toes.

As he reached his house and walked up the steps onto his porch, he froze when he saw a figure leaning against the wall next to his front door. But when he saw who it was, he relaxed and smiled. "Jo, hey," Pacey walked over to his door.

"Hey, i'm sorry I didn't call this time. I totally spaced on doing that on the way over here," Joey said as she pushed off the wall.

"Nah, that's okay. I'm never displeased to see you or anything," Pacey said as he put his key into the lock.

"Sure, but you never know. I might come over here to find you with a woman, totally unprepared. You know, if I called you'd be able to get her out of here before i came," Joey smiled in a teasing matter.

Pacey chuckled softly. "Well, I haven't had any woman sharing my bed as of late. And vice versa," Pacey said as they entered his house. "Well, except..." Pacey looked over at Joey and she cleared her throat.

"Eh, that was two weeks ago," She made a gesture as if to dismiss it.

"Not all that long ago, in my opinion," Pacey said quietly as he went into the kitchen to get a drink. "You want anything to drink?" He called out to her.

"Um, what do you have?" She asked.

"I have coke, pepsi, juice, beer," Pacey called.

"Nice range there," She laughed.

"Oh and water," Pacey laughed

"Well, there's always that," She said as she finally entered the kitchen. "I'll have a beer."

"Ah, feeling the need for alcohol?" Pacey asked as he took two beers out of the fridge and took a beer opener to pop off the lids.

"Yes, this immense need," Joey sighed.

"What's going on with you, Potter?" Pacey said as he turned to her and placed the beer in front of her. "I thought you and the forehead made up," Pacey chuckled at the glare she gave him. "Sorry, Dawson," but Pacey laughed again.

"We did," Joey sighed as she took a sip of beer and then lowered it. "But now we've been planning like crazy for the wedding and Dawson has this weird notion in his head that he gets to decide everything. And I mean everything. At times i'm thinking, who's the bride here?"

Pacey laughed softly, although it seemed a little forced. For that day at least, he forgot that they were getting married. And the thought of Joey marrying Dawson bothered him more than it should. It had been bothering him for at least two weeks. Go figure. But he always chalked it up to it being because it would be awkward for him to see them marry since he'd slept with her. But he knew it was way more than that- but he just had admit it to himself first.

"And he wants to get married in this big church, see. And he wants hundreds of people to come and the reception to be in this nice hotel or something. And i'm saying we should get married outside with just friends and family and the reception could be outside like under a tent. It would be beautiful. And i've been reminding him that we don't have all the money in the world."

"What did he say to that?" Pacey asked.

"That he'd get his parents to help out," Joey snorted and rolled her eyes. "It's like we want the complete opposite. And the wedding wouldn't cost that much if we just hand a limited number of people. And all we'd have to do is like buy a tent for the reception and we wouldn't even have to deal with renting a church to have the wedding. It's just all so frustrating," She sighed.

"And I am here to help you unwind, as always," Pacey held up his beer in a toast like manner and then drank.

"Not just that," Joey sighed, looking at Pacey for the first time since she started her little rant. "I've missed you," She said with a smile.

"Glad to here it," Pacey smirked. Then he softened and smiled too. "I've missed you too."

They looked at each other over their drinks in an intense stare. They had both missed each other. In more ways than one. In ways neither were ready to admit to themselves. Least of all to each other. "So," Pacey cleared his throat, breaking eye contact with her. "What do you want to do? You still haven't seen the last Bourne movie. We could watch that."

"Oh, right!" Joey said excitedly. "I totally forgot about those movies. I'd love to see that last one."

"Yeah, how long has it been? A week?" Pacey asked as they headed for the living room.

"It's easy to forget in that amount of time," Joey defended.

"Yeah, of course it is."

"You know I had thought about telling Dawson about my place and suggesting it for the wedding place," Joey said as Pacey moved to get the movie.

Pacey paused. "Oh," he said, furrowing his brow before moving to get the movie. "Cool," He said simply. But he felt it far from cool. He didn't know why, but it felt good to share this place with her. Just them. No one else. It felt special. He felt special. Like she'd felt comfortable enough to share something so private with him. He liked knowing something about Joey that Dawson didn't know. It was just their thing.

"Eh, but that's not going to happen since he is so adamant on having an _indoor_ wedding in a freaking church. I swear he is so old-fashioned sometimes."

"That's Dawson for ya," Pacey said as he sat down on the couch next to her.

"Yeah and it annoys me. He's so getting on my nerves-"

"How about we watch the movie, yeah?" Pacey cut her off, trying not to be rude or to sound so annoyed. He didn't feel like talking about Dawson. He'd heard enough about Dawson.

"Um, sure," Joey furrowed her brow, but didn't inquire any further into his sudden mood change.

They lapsed into silence as the movie started. Right away the action started. And the story continued. There was a sudden tension between the two. Pacey felt like reaching over and taking her hand in his. It looked so inviting. And she was so close to him he could smell her conditioner. Her hair looked soft and sleek. He could just run his fingers through it. And her face was soft, beautiful. Her lips look soft and so inviting-

Pacey had to tear his gaze away from her and focus on the movie. What was he thinking? What the hell was happening? They'd gone years without any of this tension or wanting. Why now? Had it always been under the surface? What exactly was it?

They both didn't have any answers.

Because neither had any idea what it was they felt for each other. They were so confused.

It was all so new and something neither had ever felt before. At least, it was something Pacey had never felt before. He guessed maybe Joey didn't feel anything and the thing he felt, she felt with Dawson. But he couldn't dwell on these weird feeling starting surface in him. Ever since he'd slept with her. It was like sleeping with her had been the trigger or something. That one fateful night had changed everything. But they had to stay the same. Because Joey was marrying Dawson and nothing could ever happen between them.

All Pacey knew was that he was feeling something. And it scared the hell out of him.


	12. A Stolen Kiss

**Chapter 12: A Stolen Kiss **

Pacey had no idea why he let Joey talk him into this. What the hell was he doing here? It was Dawson's party. Or whatever. Why had he wasted two hours driving over here only to be bored. He was surrounded by Dawson's "crowd" and Joey was strapped to Dawson's arm, walking around with him and meeting everyone in his business. Pacey knew he should be happy for Dawson. Because one of his scripts had actually been picked up by an agent in Hollywood. It was a small, independent film type script, but Dawson had finally written something right.

He had been ecstatic and so had Joey. He was finally getting somewhere. So now Dawson had called everyone from his work and there was now this party at like his boss' house or something. To celebrate Dawson's success.

Pacey didn't think it was quite a success yet, though. He had to actually make the film, so that meant money, actors, supplies, a set and everything. He'd have to put a lot into it and then he'd have to hope it would get picked up by someone. But Dawson was already acting like he was a huge success, a famous movie maker. Just like he always wanted to be.

And Joey had called him with the good news and while he had been wary about coming to this party, Joey had pleaded with him and said "For me?" How could he resist her?

Yay, it had all been exciting and unexpected and he was happy for Dawson, he was. But this party was becoming very boring. People were dancing to the loud blaring music and getting drunk, the usual. Pacey wasn't having fun.

Pacey sighed and turned back to the bar, holding out his empty glass. "More beer please," Pacey held his glass out to the bartender, who took the glass and poured him more. "Thanks."

Pacey leaned against the bar as he drank, sighing as he looked around. He spotted Joey then, smiling and laughing at something one of Dawson's friends said. Pacey had had to try and catch his breath when he firsts saw her. She had been wearing a strapless light blue dress that fell to around her ankles in a wavy motion. He hair was up in a soft bun, making some hair drop around her face and she had just the right about of make-up on to highlight her already beautiful features. She was the most beautiful person in the room. That much he knew. And she was on Dawson's arm. Why did that not seem fair?

Dawson and Joey detached themselves from the man they had been talking to and turned and when they saw Pacey, starting to make their way over to him. Pacey looked at Joey and she looked at him. She blushed and looked down. Had he been staring at her a little too intently? Probably. He hadn't had the chance to tell her she looked beautiful tonight. As soon as he said hi to her and Dawson, he had pulled her away to meet people, leaving Pacey alone.

"Pace, glad you could make it," Dawson grinned as he and Joey walked up to him and ordered their own drink.

"Me too," Pacey's smile was strained. No, he was not glad he could make it. He'd rather be working on his boat or something. Anything but this. Well, at least he got to see Joey.

"This party is kicking," Dawson grinned as he drank from his glass.

"And it's all for you," Joey giggled and kissed him on the cheek. Pacey looked away.

"See, i told you i would do it. You just couldn't believe in me, could you?" Dawson asked teasingly.

"I did! I did believe in you," Joey whispered.

Pacey wanted to laugh. He remembered two and a half weeks ago sitting on their couch and her complaining that Dawson would never be successful, that he wouldn't make it and he'd dragged her out here to Hollywood for nothing. And he also remembered kissing her, taking off her clothes and taking her as his own, if just for one drunken night. She had felt so amazing in his arms-

"Sure, sure," Dawson's voice broke into his thoughts. "Well that doesn't matter, because it is actually happening."

"Yep," Joey smiled and drank from her glass.

"So, met anyone famous?" Pacey asked Joey.

"Uh..." She wrinkled her brow. "Well, i've met famous directors and producers, but no actors. Everyone in the movie and TV business is here, i swear," She laughed as she looked around at all the people talking, dancing, drinking, laughing...

"I'll be one of those famous directors one day," Dawson boasted.

"You're little movie still has to get picked up first. And you still have to make it as well," Pacey said, being the one to remind him of the reality. "You'll have to put a lot of time and money into this and you have to get actors, a crew, a-"

"I know that, Pacey. You don't have to be so damper. Can't you just be happy for me?" Dawson scowled.

"I am happy for you, man. I just don't want you to get sided by the fact that you've got somewhere so that you'll mess up because you weren't prepared."

"I'm plenty prepared, Pacey," Dawson glared at him.

"Are you sure-"

"Okay, stop it!" Joey sighed heavily and shook her head. "Both of you just stop it. Leave each other alone and be the best friends that you are."

"Pacey's the one who started it-"

"What are you in the third grade?" Pacey said. "He started it-" Pacey said it in a mock kid voice.

"Pacey!" Joey narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop it. Are you angry at Dawson for something? Did he do something?"

_He has you._ "No, he did nothing wrong. I'm just having one of those days."

"Well then don't take it out on Dawson," Joey said gently, not wanting to be rude to Pacey, but keeping a firmness to her tone.

"Sorry, man. I was just-"

"It's okay. Its all forgotten if you be nice for the rest of the night," Dawson smiled.

"I will," Pacey nodded, sighing as he looked down into his drink.

"Anyway," Dawson said. "I just want to...i mean, i can't believe my dream has finally come true. And i am so glad to have you both by my side. After all these years," Dawson said sincerely.

"I wouldn't have miss it," Joey smiled.

"Yeah, me too," Pacey said as he drank.

"And this all good. It's all great. I mean, in light of our wedding," Dawson pulled Joey into his side, his arm wrapped around her. "And we can go all out on it. I mean, at least now i'm finally going to make more than you."

_Uh-oh._ That wasn't a good thing to say. And Pacey knew it.

Joey's face immediately hardened, her body froze in anger.

"Oh and i called Jen and Jack. They're ecstatic for me as well-"

"Dawson!" Pacey said loudly, angrily, concerned for what Joey might do. If looks could kill...

Dawson stopped talking, looking at Pacey confusedly, but when he saw Pacey look pointedly at Joey, he turned to look at her. His hand immediately fell from her waist and he sighed. "Damn it..."

"You just couldn't let it go, could you, mister hotshot," Joey finally spoke, glaring at Dawson.

"Jo, i wasn't thinking, it just came out-"

"You're never thinking then, are you?"

Pacey felt he should probably slip away and have their fight in peace-or whatever. It was a little ironic to fight and have peace at the same time. But he felt like he was intruding. Pacey made a move to step away.

"Joey, i just want to take care of you. Is it that bad if i want to take care of you and love you?"

"Dawson, this isn't the 1950's! I can take care of myself. I don't need to be treated like a helpless woman. And i can be with a man and still be strong. God, why do you always have to make everything into such a-an old fashioned movie. This is real life. And maybe Pacey did have it right-"

People were starting to stare at them. Joey was drawing attention. And Pacey looked down at the mention of his name. He didn't want to be brought into anything.

"-Maybe you do have to start looking at things realistically. Because if you don't, i assure you, you will lose everything," And with that, Joey stormed off. "Excuse me!" She said loudly to people who were in her way, people who had stopped to stare and gawk and then newly successful Dawson Leery and his bride to be have a fight.

Pacey sighed as he watched her go. "Way to go, man," Pacey said to Dawson as he started to walk after Joey. Dawson just sighed and hung his head.

He found her in an empty room, the music being muffled as the door closed. Pacey looked at Joey sitting on the bed, her beautiful dress trailing to the floor as she sat there on the bed, not crying but looking like she wanted to. Out of anger or sadness, he couldn't tell.

"Hey," Pacey said softly.

Joey jumped slightly and looked up at Pacey. Then she relaxed and gave him a strained smile. "Hey," She said softly, looking at the floor as she kicked off her blue heels and then started to rub her toes into the carpet.

Pacey sighed, putting his hands in his pant pockets and moved to sit next to her on the foot of the bed. "Well that party definitely took a turn for the worst," Pacey supplied.

"Oh please," Joey snorted. "It already took a turn when i got here. I've had to smile through my teeth the entire night. Some of the people are actually cool and really not all that famous, but most of them seem to be just like Dawson."

"And those people who happen to be like Dawson annoy you?" Pacey smirked. "Interesting."

"Shut up," Joey pouted.

"Nah nah, it's okay. I'm sure they lack some traits that Dawson has. Some good traits."

"Oh yeah, like what?" Joey scoffed.

Pacey sighed. "I know you're angry right now and all you can think about is the bad parts of Dawson-"

"I swear, Pacey, sometimes i wonder to myself..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes wondered over to him.

"Wonder what?" Pacey asked once he knew she wasn't going to finish her sentance.

"Nothing," She shook her head quickly. "It's just...how come Dawson always seems to make feel like the least desirable, the least wanted in a room? Or ever?" She sighed.

"I'm sure he doesn't do that," Pacey said carefully. It was just how she felt. It wasn't true.

"Yeah," She sighed, her shoulders slumped as she shifted on the bed, seeming to come closer to Pacey. And he noticed this. Her hand was right next to his. He could smell her conditioner...

"You know you look absolutely beautiful tonight," Pacey murmured to her.

She looked over at him, surprised. "What?"

"Not to mention drop dead gorgeous," Pacey whispered to her.

"No, you're just saying that to make me feel better," She muttered, looking down, although a blush came to her face.

"No, i'm not," Pacey chuckled. "That's the truth. And i'm not being biased. Anyone would agree with me."

"Yeah, sure," Joey said disbelievingly.

"No, i swear," Pacey pressed. "In fact, you were the most beautiful person in that room."

"Really?" She asked in a vulnerable voice, looking over at him slowly.

"Are you kidding? You're the most beautiful woman all the time, in all rooms, no matter-"

Before he could finish the sentence, Joey leaned forward and kissed him. Pacey raised his eyebrows in surprise, but soon closed his eyes and gave into the kiss, loving the feel of her lips on his. The kiss was slow, sensual. And sober.

It felt like sparks were going off everywhere. Pacey had never ever had a kiss quite like this one. He'd never kissed anyone quite like Joey before. She set everything in him on fire. Passion he never knew he had boiled in him and he quickened the kiss, weaving his right hand through her hair and pulling her closer to him while his other hand started wondering down her stomach.

But before he knew it, the kiss was over and Joey was pulling back, her eyes closed, her mouth agape and her breathing ragged. Pacey opened his eyes slowly to look at her. He knew they shouldn't have done that. But Joey had kissed him and before he could do anything his desire, his want for her gave in and he had been kissing her back with a fierce passion.

Joey finally opened her eyes and looked at him. Then a panicked look started to fill her eyes and he wondered if he looked just as panicked.

"I shouldn't have done that," Joey said, pulled back from him and picking up her shoes, fumbling to put them on. "Oh my god, i'm so sorry," The blush on her cheeks was a deep red.

"No-no, i'm sorry," Pacey cleared his throat, feeling himself come out of his daze.

"No, i kissed you. God, i'm such an idiot. That wasn't-it can't-it was a mistake," She said as she finally got on her second shoe after she gained control of her shaking hands.

"Yeah, a mistake," Pacey said dejectedly.

"I need to find-i should...go," Joey cleared her throat and quickly left the room, leaving the door open behind her.

Pacey stared after her and kept looking out the door, even after she left. Then he groaned and fell back on the bed he was on, covering his face with his hands. Wonderful.


	13. Independently Rejecting You

**Chapter 13: Independently Rejecting You**

Joey walked through the mass of people, her face a red blush. She had kissed Pacey. Why had she done that? All she knew is that he had been saying those incredible things. About her. He had been looking at her so seriously when he said them too, making her know for sure that he wasn't kidding around with her. She hadn't been thinking. She had just acted. She had to say it felt a little invigorating. She had felt so...alive.

As she made her way back to Dawson, she thought of him and remembered she was angry with him. The moment she walked up to him at the bar-he hadn't seemed to move an inch since she left-Dawson stood up straight and started to apologize profusely. She felt he was doing that a lot lately.

"I'm not talking to you!" She said loudly, cutting off his current apology. "Let's just go home," she said, quieter this time as she realized some people had turned at her loud voice. She turned and headed toward the door before Dawson could say anything. She stomped toward her car-the one they had used to come to the party together-feeling the night air brush against her skin, making her shiver slightly.

"Are you-"

"Shut up. I told you i'm not talking to you," Joey stopped Dawson before he could say anything. She heard him sigh behind her. She got into the drivers side quickly and turned the car on. Dawson got into the passenger's side and sighed dejectedly. Her posture is stiff, a permanent glare in her eyes as she was staring straight through the windshield. She was finally coming to the conclusion that a large part of her was trying to restrain herself from punching Dawson in the face. How dare he say what he said. God, what was his problem? Men didn't always have to be making more. Women had their place in society now and they weren't just depicted as helpless and needy and the only thing they were good at was staying at home with the children or working as a secretary. Although women were still treated a lot like the weaker sex today in society and there were a lot of women issues where there weren't men issues. It angered her like nothing else that Dawson felt he should be making more than her and that now that his script got picked up and he might become successful and make more then her, he could boast and act like a "manly man" or whatever. She wanted to be treated like an equal, not someone less. She was strongly independent and outspoken and she liked to think she was strong.

And Dawson kept making her feel week and pathetic over and over and over again. And she was getting tired of it. She hated feeling like she was. She didn't deserve how he treated her and she wasn't going to stand for it.

But for now she was too angry to talk to him. And maybe a couple days of the silent treatment would get through to that small thing he called a brain. Her thoughts were angry and irrational as she sat there and stewed.

Once they were home, Joey got out of the car and in her anger, didn't notice her feet and the end of her dress caught under her heels and she screeched as she fell toward the ground. Dawson was, unfortunately, just closing his car door as it happened, so he wasn't there to catch her. She held her hands out to break her fall. She heard a rip and winced, knowing part of the fabric ripped as she felt her knees hit the concrete hard and she felt and elbow scrape along the concrete as she landed. "Fucking goddamn it," Joey hissed as she winced. She felt the stinging of her hands, her elbow and at least one of her knees. "Ugh..."

"Jo!" Dawson had come over to her when he heard her scream and was now kneeled next to her. "Oh shit, let me help you," Dawson grabbed her good elbow, but she ripped it out of his hand.

"I can do it myself. It's just a few scratches," She said as she gingerly stood up, kicking her heels off immediately. She looked down at her dress. She saw marks from the gravel where her knees were on the dress and it had ripped on the right sight from the bottom halfway up her leg. "Great, and this was such a nice dress," She sighed as she looked at her hands. They were red and had gravel stuck to them. Her right was worse than her light. It actually had a little blood on hit, while her left was just red and black from the gravel. She turned her left arm to look at her elbow, which was scratched up as well. "I'll just put on some band-aids and wash the wounds. No big deal," She said as she pulled her dress up and looked at her knees. Her right knee, thankfully, didn't have any marks on it, except for a little dirt, but her left looked a little bloody. She sighed and started toward their apartment.

"Joey, just because your mad at me doesn't mean I shouldn't help you," Dawson said.

"See, this is why i'm mad at you," Joey growled, not turning to look at him. "I got up fine on my own, i don't need you helping me get up from a minor fall. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," She said as she took her key out and unlocked the door to the apartment. She immediately goes into the kitchen and gets a washcloth and runs it under the water.

"Jo-" Dawson starts as he enters the kitchen.

"Dawson, i'm not five, i can tend to my fucking cuts," She hisses as the water runs against her hands, feeling the sting of it.

"No need to be so pissy," Dawson sighs.

"Oh yes I do," Joey said. "Go watch a movie or something," She snaps, her tone putting an end to any of his further concerns. She heard him shuffle out of the kitchen with a sigh. And the silent treatment started now.

She tended to her scrapes and bruises, wincing as she saw the long rip in her dress. She had really loved this dress. Not the heels. "That's it, i'm never wearing heels again, ever," She groaned as she put some neosporin on her band-aid and then put the band-aid on her hand. She knew she probably would wear heels again, but at that moment, she meant every word she said.

Once she had all the band-aids on, she cleaned up and then left the kitchen, not surprised to find that Dawson was, indeed, watching a movie. She ignored him as he turned around to look at her. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something. "No!" She said said simply, holding up her hand as she slightly limped into the hallway, down it and into their bedroom. She tossed the heels over in the corner and just flopped down onto the bed, her dress crinkling as she did so, not paying much mind to the fact that it was a nice dress.

Her mind immediately wanders back to that night two and a half weeks ago when she and Pacey had laid in this bed, together and he had been doing ungodly things to her senses, making her explode in passion. She still remembered her orgasm and the utter ecstasy she had felt in that moment. She was surprised she remembered it as if she had been sober. She found it weird that she felt like two and a half weeks was forever ago. She felt like it had been forever since that night, but at the same exact time, it felt like it hadn't been that long ago at all. It was still fresh in her mind.

She sighs, a part of her-actually a bigger part than she was willing to admit-had wished she could leave that party with Pacey. But alas, it was not meant to be that night as she slowly slipped out of her ruined dress as well as her strapless bra and fancy underwear. She had just moved to the dresser when the door opened and there stood Dawson. She sighed and rolled her eyes as his mouth froze in it's open state, seeing as he was about to say something. She had a clever quip on the tip of her tongue, but she remembered that she wasn't talking to him. All the sudden she felt like a shower.

Dawson was looking at her like he'd never seen her naked before. She also saw the desire there and she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. Sleeping with him was the last thing she felt like doing at the moment.

"S-sorry, i just-you-I-" He stuttered, blinking rapidly. She also saw him blush in that moment and look away. Now he was acting embarrassed. Like he shouldn't be allowed to see her naked. It made her feel like they were fifteen all over again, not twenty-five and engaged, soon to be married, for crying out loud. She sighed and pulled her robe of the back of their door where she always kept it and slipped it on, covering herself.

Why did Dawson look relieved?

She just shook her head and brushed pass him, keeping up with her silent treatment. She was going to take a long shower, she decided.

* * *

><p>Pacey soon made his way out of the room after he gathered himself. He realized after he spent a good ten minutes looking around the party that Joey and Dawson were gone. He sighed. How long had he been in that room?<p>

"Well, there's no use staying here," Pacey sighed as he headed in the direction he knew the door was.

Halfway there, though, he was stopped. A short woman with long blond locks practically jumped on him. "You're cute! And sexy...i like that in a man," she purred.

Pacey raised his eyebrows. Well she was blunt. But as she giggled for no reason at all, he smelled her breath and nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "And you are drunk," Pacey said to the woman as he pulled her gently away from him.

"Who are you? I've never seen you around." She ignored his comment and stepped up close to him, laying a hand on his chest.

"I'm just a friend of one of the film makers, that's all," Pacey said as he pulled the hand off his chest.

"Oh, who?" The blonde said excitedly.

"Um..." Pacey sighed. "Dawson Leery," Pacey said carefully.

"Oh him, he's a little weird," The blonde said immediately at the name. Pacey laughed and the blonde took it the wrong way. She smiled and wrapped one arm around his neck again. "Wanna go somewhere private? We can do the 'i'll show you mine if you show me yours thing' and then get a little farther than that," She whispered seductively.

"Do you always do this when you're drunk?" Pacey sighed, trying to pull her arm away from him again.

"You're so fucking hot. I want you," She said as she pushed up against him and pressed her lips to his.

Pacey pulled back and pulled her away from him, wanting to wipe at his mouth, but he had to use both of his hands to keep her away. "Well, I don't want you. And I bet if you were sober, you wouldn't want me. I'm going to go now. It was um...nice to meet you," Pacey muttered as he moved to get around her.

"It was more than nice to meet you," She giggled as she pulled on his tie.

"Okay, that's enough there," Pacey laughed as he extracted her hand from his tie and pushed her aside. "Goodbye," Pacey said to her and slipped away before she could grab him again, whoever she was.

He shook his head and made his way out from the crowd and then finally outside the house, sighing in relief once he could breath in some fresh air. God, what a waste of time that party had been. The only interesting thing had been kissing Joey. That actually had kind of made the party worthwhile. But now he was alone, he'd rejected a drunk blond woman-he was actually happy he did. The only time he usually gave into that stuff was when he was drunk. Maybe sometimes if he was attracted enough to the woman, he'd do it sober, but mostly, he was drunk when he had one night stands.

His thoughts made him think of Joey. He felt that they hadn't had a one night stand. He felt like they had shared something more, even if they had been drunk. And technically they had had a one night stand, seeing as they never had it again and never would, seeing as she would be marrying Dawson in a month in a half. She would be his. They would be married and he would never go there, he knew.

But he couldn't help thinking things about Joey he never had thought before. And he couldn't stop remembering their night together like it was yesterday.

Something was changing, he felt it. He wanted to laugh at himself. Maybe nothing was changing and this feeling he had was all his own and it would go away. But for now, this feeling of change had him strangely hoping for something he didn't even know he was hoping for.


	14. Where You Really Want To Be

**Chapter 14: Where You Are And Where You Really Want To Be**

Two days went by where Joey didn't speak to Dawson. It was pretty easy because she worked and he worked and he went back to staying later than he should. In those two days she only saw him once at night and felt him in the bed, but didn't move to talk to him or anything and they were silent in the morning before they went off to work.

On the third day, it was late and Dawson had actually showed up for dinner and they were sitting there, watching the TV, on opposite ends of the couch when Joey finally spoke up. "What goes on in that head of yours, Dawson?"

She turned to look at him and he looked at her, surprised. A small smile crept onto his face that she was actually talking to him, but then it faded because anyone would be able to figure out that she might be talking to him, but that didn't mean they'd made up. "Um..." Dawson furrowed his brows at her question.

"Obviously not much," Joey snorted.

"Joey," Dawson sighed tiredly, looking at her carefully.

"Dawson, I need - no, I want to know why you treat me the way you do," Joey said forcefully, angrily.

"Which way do I treat you?" Dawson asked, incredulous.

"Like this poor little girl that can't do anything for herself. Like I need saving at the tiniest thing. Like you're this big macho man and you and you alone have to take care of both of us? This is the 21st century, Dawson."

"I know it is. And you are blowing this all way out of proportion," Dawson said. "I know you're an independent woman, okay? But I can't help how I am. I can't help my instinct to protect you, to-"

"Dawson, my problem isn't about protection. Wanting to make more money than me is not protecting. It is sexism."

"Sexism?" Dawson scoffed.

"Yes! It is, the stupid belief that women shouldn't have a job, that they should stay home with the kids and be a good little wife while the husband cheats on her whenever he can."

Dawson fell silent at this and looked away, so she couldn't see his face. He didn't say anything.

"You-you..." Joey locked her jaw. "Dawson, I'm not stupid, your silence says everything!"

"Jo," He turned to look at her. "I'm not cheating on you. I'm silent because I can't believe what you said!"

"Why can't you believe that-"

"I never said I never wanted you to have a job. I know you love your job and I am so in love with you and I want you."

Joey scoffed, shaking her head as tears came to her eyes.

Dawson scooted over to Joey and took her face in his hands. "Don't cry, Jo. I want you, I love you, you are very pretty. Inside and out," Dawson smiled widely.

"I'm pretty?" Joey sighed, looking into Dawson's eyes.

"Very," He said and leaned in to kiss her.

"Dawson," Joey winced as she moved her face away from him, stopping the kiss. Dawson blinked, surprised. He dropped his hands from her face and looked at her confused.

"What happened at that party shouldn't have happened. It wasn't supposed to happen again. Remember our talk?"

"Joey..." Dawson said carefully.

"I know it really isn't that big of deal and I was frustrated and made it a big deal, but Dawson, it has got. To. Stop." Joey gave him a hard look.

"Jo, I'm a man. I'm an ass. I don't think when I should. I'll try," Dawson smiled.

"Try harder," Joey pushed up from the couch and as she was walking out she said, "Goodnight."

Dawson smiled, satisfied with himself. He was an idiot. But he wasn't going to let that happen again. No way. Because Joey surely wouldn't forgive him that time. But had she forgiven him this time? He was a little confused. She hadn't said she had and she'd still been a little distant. She hadn't let him kiss her. He had a feeling he hadn't gotten back in her good graces yet.

* * *

><p>Two weeks went by in which Joey thought and thought and thought. Should she leave Dawson? Should she stay wit him? They'd been each other's everything for almost their entire lives. How could she throw that away? But why didn't she feel happy with him any more? Why couldn't she stop thinking about Pacey? Why had they slept together? And why was she so scared to see him since that kiss - that sober kiss - that they'd had at the party? Which is why she hadn't seen him in two weeks.<p>

Dawson seemed more and more absent as time went on. When he was home, he told her they were working on his script and finding the necessary actors, then one day Dawson excitedly told her they'd picked a location to film his movie at. Joey and Dawson continued to plan for their wedding and at some point Joey just felt too tired and didn't put up a fight about how many people would come and where. She just didn't...care anymore.

Shouldn't that tell her she didn't want this? But she'd made it this far. There were only three weeks left until the wedding and whatever it was with Pacey was a passing infatuation. Yeah, that's what it was. She had to believe that. And Dawson would always be there when she was lonely. They'd be married. She'd have someone. It was safe. And easy.

Well, it wasn't exactly easy. She still wasn't able to kiss him or do anything more with him. The thought repulsed her. The more and more she thought, the more she felt herself pulling away. But to where?

She had to come to a conclusion soon. Because her mind was going all over the place. One minute she was all for her and Dawson, the next she didn't want to see him. Then it was going in the direction of Pacey and the warmth his arms had brought her. Then she felt scared at the thought of Pacey and the intensity she felt while kissing him and what it meant compared to Dawson. They had betrayed him, hadn't they? What would he do if he ever found out they had had sex over a month ago?

One particularly hot day in the late August month she was sitting at her desk, editing away on a column and trying hard not to let her brain melt from the heat when she got a call.

"Hello?" She said distractedly as she picked up the phone, still concentrating on her computer.

"Sis!" A voice said excitedly.

Joey snapped her attention away from the computer and into the phone call. "Bess?"

"Geez, don't you ever pick up a phone and call? I haven't heard from you in like three months," Bessie said into the line.

"Well it goes both ways," Joey tried weekly.

"Whatever. I was sitting here at the kitchen table while Bodie made his famous pancakes-" Joey had no idea why that was important, but she didn't interrupt, "- and Alexander was ranting about this girl he had a crush on and that reminded me of when you were like twelve and you had a crush on that boy - what was his name?"

"Uh...how should I know?" Joey asked, completely confused as to where this was going.

Bessie laughed into the line. "Whatever, you had a crush on this boy and mom eased your mind about it - but anyway, Alexander reminded me of you and I thought - damn, my little sister is getting married in three weeks! That is soon. We'll be flying out there soon and I'll finally see my sis live her happily every after. And then I remember the last time we talked was when you called me to say that Pacey was at his height of business at Oceanside and you just had to tell me -although for the life of me I don't know why," Bessie laughed.

At the mention of Pacey's name, Joey's small smile faded. Bessie continued. "And i'm like, that's the last time we talked? Was to talk about Pacey? I wanted to call you because I miss you like crazy."

"I miss you too, Bess," Joey laughed softly. She thought about telling Bessie that she slept with Pacey. This was her sister. She could tell her this and know she wouldn't tell Dawson, right? She felt like she needed to tell someone and her sister was the perfect person. But...something held her back. She knew how crazy her sister had been when she'd found out she'd lost her virginity to that Charlie guy - like Joey wasn't 18 and a legal adult and could make her own decisions? Her sister had gotten all on her case about how she should have saved herself for someone special, like Dawson and blah blah blah. She hadn't tried to listen at the point when Bessie mentioned Dawson. She hadn't been all that close to Dawson their freshman year in college.

So the thought of telling Bessie that she had cheated on her fiance with Pacey - of all people -wasn't all that appealing right now. She didn't need the tongue lashing.

"So, how are the wedding plans coming along?" Bessie asked.

"They're coming," Joey said simply.

"Where's it going to be?"

"A church," Joey sighed.

"Ooh! A big, pretty one?"

"Um, I haven't seen it yet. Dawson picked it out. He was going to take me on Monday to see it...so...i'll tell you when i see it," Joey rolled her eyes.

"Okay, cool," Bessie laughed softly.

There was silence on both ends. "Oh, did I tell you?" Joey almost forgot. "Dawson got one of his scripts picked up."

And so she listened to an excited Bessie then turned into a ranting Bessie about how great this was for both of them, and how she'd be married to a famous person - Joey had wanted to interrupt that she doubted Dawson would become famous from this, but refrained.

"Yeah, we had this party and-" Joey was saying and then stopped. She closed her eyes as she remembered seeing Pacey sitting next to her, looking hansom in black dress pants and shiny black shoes along with a dark blue dress shirt with a black blazer jacket over it and the way his stubble had accentuated his features and his brow hair looked like she could run her fingers through it. And his lips had looked so kissable. And they had been. So kissable. She imagined the feel of his lips on hers. And remembered that the last time she'd seen him had been in that room.

Her eyes opened slowly. She heard Bessie say "And?"

"Dawson was an ass," Joey decided for the truth. "But we talked and made up." Had they? She wasn't sure. They just kind of skidded around each other these days.

"Good, good, that's good," Bessie said into the line.

"So how is Alex?" Joey tried a change of topic. She had been surprised at the sheer amount of sadness that washed over at the thought of Pacey. And realized she missed him. A lot. She couldn't think about that at the moment.

"Oh, he's good. He's doing great in school, almost as well as his Aunt Joey did," Bessie gushed.

"Well that's good. He's a smart kid," Joey smiled.

"Yep, he's got my looks and your brains."

"Bess, we didn't have the kid together," Joey laughed. "What about Bodie?"

"Oh, he got his brains too," Bessie laughed.

They continued to talk about nothing much of importance, just sister's catching up with each other. When Joey hung up, she sighed. The only thing Bessie hadn't been all that happy about was the fact that apparently hundreds of people were coming to the wedding. On that one thing, Bessie wished it could be friends and family. Small. But that had made Joey ask why she was so excited for a big church if she wanted it small. Bessie hadn't really come up with an answer.

Joey immediately went back to thinking of Pacey. She wanted to see him. She really did. But she had kissed him. And liked it. A lot. It had felt incredible. And they were sober, so she couldn't really blame these feelings she was having on the feelings of that one drunken night. This was actually something.

She was feeling things she shouldn't be feeling for Pacey.

* * *

><p>Pacey walked into his house and closed the door behind him softly, looking over into his living room. Today had been kind of a grueling day on him. He had to argue and argue with one of his customers who said that he wouldn't have the money in a weeks time when he would need to pay rent for having his boat docked there for the month. He said he'd lost his job last month and had to use his money for more important things. So Pacey had said that he should just take his boat elsewhere then. There were plenty of people that would love to take his spot for their boat.<p>

It had all escalated to the point where Pacey marched out and started untying the boat from the peer and the customer shouting he still had a week left of rent. "Will you be using it at all this week?" Pacey quipped back.

The man had hesitated before saying yes and sniffing, he got on the boat and took it out himself. He hadn't come back till after Pacey was closing and the sun had set and that made Pacey have to reopen the store to dock the boat and do the inventory on how many stupid fishes the man had caught with the fishing pole he always kept on his boat. Whatever.

Pacey sighed and started to move toward the living room when a knock on his door scared him half to death. "Jesus!" He yelled whirling around toward the door. While he tried to calm his heart, he stepped over and opened the door. Unfortunately, his heart beat just picked up even more at the sight of Joey standing there in her work clothes and biting her lips softly, nervously.

"J-Joey?" Pacey asked stuttered. He thought he wouldn't see her until the wedding. He thought she was going to avoid him like the plague because of their stolen kiss. But here she was, standing there before him, looking absolutely beautiful.

"Sorry to bother you," Joey said nervously, wringing her hands together.

Pacey's features softened. "You never bother me, Jo."

"Really? Never?" Joey asked with a small smile, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, sometimes you do, but not right now," Pacey amended.

"That's what I thought," Joey laughed softly, the tension that had been in the air slowly dissipating. There had been a time when they'd been arch enemies and could barely stand each other. Well, maybe arch enemies is an overstatement. Neither Joey or Pacey had actually hated each other. Not that they'd admit that, even ten years later.

"Come in," Pacey said and stepped aside and let Joey pass, getting a whiff of her conditioner as she did so. As she turned to him, he asked "So, is this about Dawson?" Pacey asked. It probably was. Everything was about Dawson.

But to his surprise, Joey shook her head. "You think we could not mention him tonight? And just...hang out?" She asked softly.

Slowly, a smile crept onto Pacey's face. "I think we can do that," Pacey's smile widened and he shut the door before going over to Joey and enveloping her in a hug. He heard her sigh and felt her bury her face in his shoulder and then he knew he had done the right thing in hugging her. He felt her arms around around his back and he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly, but comfortably.

They broke away from the hug and stared at each other longer than they should have. Finally Pacey cleared his throat and moved away from her. They were both choosing to ignore the kiss they had and not talk about it to each other. "So," Pacey said as he walked down into the living room and went to turn on the TV.

"So," Joey said as she turned around to watch him a bit before she smiled and followed after him. She felt like this big weight was being lifted off her shoulder as she started to laugh and actually have fun.

This was where she wanted to be.


	15. Giving In

**Chapter 15: Giving In**

**A/N: I actually put two chapters into one here, because the first part is pretty short and this chapter wouldn't have had any Pacey/Joey. It makes more sense to put these two chapters into one anyway.**

Pacey drove his car carefully through the L.A. traffic, getting annoyed when he had to stop for about the tenth time since he got on the freeway. It was extremely hot, he was packed between all these cars and he was tired. He just wanted to get to the airport already and on time. That's where he was headed. Because it was seventeen days until Joey and Dawson's wedding and Jen was coming early, as well as Jack. Jen was coming to help Joey with everything and be Jen the wedding planner that goes crazy on everyone and gets stressed out so Joey doesn't have to. And Jack goes everywhere she goes because they are attached at the hip and why not come along with Jen? Pacey, Joey, Dawson, Jen and Jack had been the closest of friends for about ten years and counting. It makes sense those two would come out first.

So Jen had called him a couple days before asking if she could stay at his place while they are here. Of course Pacey said yes. He had the extra rooms. Of course, Jack would be joining her at his house. And Joey and Dawson only had one bedroom at their apartment, so Jen and Jack couldn't stay with them anyway.

Pacey had actually heard from Joey since she had visited earlier that week. He had called her once and she had called him once and they had talked like friends. Pacey had wished he could say more and act differently with her-how he really wanted to act with her-but he had refrained both times. She was getting married to his best friend in a little over two weeks. And he had to admit, he was dreading it.

A huge part of him-well, all of him, didn't want to see her get married-didn't want her to get married at all. And to Dawson of all people. He didn't know when his opinion had changed, but he was guessing about the time he slept with her and all these feelings started rushing out of some locked up place in his head and they were coming at him full force.

He knew he loved her. He always had. Even when they were sparring partners, it was the passion that made it fun and they could keep going for a long time before they stopped. It never got boring when he had talked to her. And of course they had gotten closer and closer as the years went by. He had known he loved her when they were best friends. That hadn't been a secret.

But before, his love for her hadn't been in the way he felt now. Before, their love hadn't seemed...romantic. But now, he knew he was in love with her. And always had been. But she'd always been about Dawson. Dawson, Dawson, Dawson and some more Dawson. He guessed a part of him didn't want to have to deal with or compete with it, so he had closed those feelings off.

But how could he deny them now? They had slept together and it had been...amazing. He knew he had never experienced something quite like that ever in his life. Even if he had been drunk. In fact, it was like being drunk had heightened his awareness and clarity and he had felt everything ten times better. Or at least, in his drunk state, that's what it had felt like.

He hadn't had the chance to experience being with Joey sober, so he couldn't exactly say it was ten times better, because he didn't know what sleeping with her was like...sober. But there had been that kiss. It had stolen his breath away, he wasn't going to lie. And he knew he wanted to do it again and again and again. And knew he would never get tired of it.

But he knew he had to at least try and shove those feelings away once again. Only this time he very much was aware of his feelings. And he didn't know if he could be successful. He didn't know if he could ever look at Joey again and not want to kiss her or hold her or touch her and keep her for eternity. But she wasn't his. She was Dawson's. Or well, she could never be his or Dawson's. She wasn't property. The fact was, she would be with Dawson and not him. And that hurt.

Pacey sighed as he finally made it on the main drag that led into LAX, which was possibly the biggest, most busiest airport ever. It was always a relief once you pulled out from LAX.

About twenty minutes later he was able to actually get into the terminal. He had his window down so he could here the running of cars as they drove, the squeal of breaks as they stop, the honking of horns, the loud chatter of people who were meeting up and putting their luggage away. He remembered when he had first moved to L.A. that he had marveled at the size of it and the population, so much bigger and industrialized than his hometown of Capeside. One of the small towns of America with the most narrow-minded people with the exception of him, of course and he would include Joey as well. Dawson, he liked to think had unfortunately gotten the Capeside syndrome-there were times were he was so old-fashioned and so black and white that it was scary. But at least he had redeemed himself in moving to L.A. where he actually had to prove himself just as much as the next person.

Of course Jen was already hardened from New York-which he would go so far as to say that New York is even more city than L.A., more industrialized. And Jack had come from Providence and there was the fact that he was gay and gay people tended to have open minds. He guessed. Well, at least Jack had an open mind.

As Pacey started to search for Jen and Jack in the mass of people, he slowed his car down to a reasonable speed for a terminal. It was at least another ten minutes before he spotted them and not soon after they spotted him, grinning and waving as he stopped, popped the trunk and got out. He walked around to his two friends and gave Jen a hug as well as Jack.

"Hey!" Jen grinned as she moved to the trunk and started to put her bags in.

"Here, let me," Pacey said politely as he grabbed her first suitcase quickly.

"Ah, Pacey Witter, such a gentleman," Jen laughed softly. "I'm not a weakling, you know."

"Yes, but I offered to help you, so zip it and accept the favor with a graceful thank you," Pacey quipped teasingly as he went for her second bag.

"Fine, thank you," Jen rolled her eyes. "But I have to warn you, the second-"

"Oh, holy shit!" Pacey grunted loudly as he almost dropped the second bag, not expecting it to weigh a ton. "Damn, what do you have in here, Lindley, a dead body?" Pacey said as he strained his muscles to put the heap of a suitcase in the trunk with a thud.

"Maybe," Jen said casually.

Pacey laughed and started to walk around the car to the front seat.

"Hey, Pace, you're not going to get my suitcases as well?" Jack asked in a mock hurt tone.

Pacey laughed. "Nope."

Jack scoffed indignantly. "Oh, I see, just because I'm a guy you wont be a gentleman for me?"

"Uh...yeah," Pacey laughed as Jack playfully glared at him and pulled his first suitcase up and into the trunk.

"Asshole," He heard Jack mutter.

Pacey chuckled as Jen laughed and then yelled "Shotgun!"

"Jen, we aren't in high school anymore," Jack rolled his eyes as he closed the trunk with a snap.

"Ah, the good times," Jen reflected wistfully as she batter her eyelashes.

Pacey snorted with laughter. "Yeah, sure, the good times," Pacey said as they all got into the car. "The time when our hormones are all out of whack, so we go into self-hate and self-pitying and then moan and complain over the simplest of things and then have to worry about high school along with trying to be socially acceptable to everyone and then to top it all off, we all have an identity crisis at least once a year. Fun," Pacey said sarcastically.

"Okay, you were the worst in the self-hate department," Jen said with raised eyebrows over at Pacey. "And Dawson was the one with the identity crisis's every year, the rest of us only had them about one time. And we all know our group never tried or cared to fit in."

"Yeah, we didn't, did we?" Jack asked from the back seat.

"Nope," Pacey shook his head.

"If I had cared, I wouldn't have come out and I'd probably still be denying my homosexuality today," Jack said.

"Sounds like my brother Dougie," Pacey laughed.

"He hasn't come out yet?" Jen asked.

"Nope, but I keep waiting," Pacey smiled.

"All right, let's just get out of here," Jack said from the back seat, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"Tired, Jackers?" Pacey asked.

"Mhmm..." He said simply, trailing off as he started to fall into sleep.

Jen laughed softly as she looked back at Jack. "He is such a cutie," She smiled.

"Sure, whatever you want to think," Pacey laughed.

"Guys, just because I close my eyes, doesn't mean I'm actually asleep quite yet," Jack said.

Pacey and Jen laughed.

"Sorry Jacks," Jen said.

"It's okay, Jenny, I love you."

"What, you don't love me?" Pacey asked jokingly.

"Yeah, sure..." Jack nodded off and it seemed like he really fell asleep this time.

Pacey and Jen laughed softly. "So, are we meeting Dawson and Joey at the restaurant?" Jen asked.

"Yeah," Pacey said a little tightly. He was wondering if he could keep calm and normal with Joey there.

"You okay, Pace?" Jen asked, noticing his change in demeanor.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Pacey laughed softly, covering for himself.

"I have no idea," Jen said, although she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but said nothing more as they drove out of LAX toward the restaurant.

* * *

><p>Pacey, Jen, and Jack made it to the restaurant in about twenty minutes time. It was in the middle of the city, the buildings rose up high into the sky. When they walked in, they were led to the table where Dawson and Joey already sat waiting.<p>

"Jen, Jack!" Joey said quickly, excited to see their friends they rarely got to see. Joey enthusiastically hugged Jen and then Jack. Dawson gave them both a quick hug.

"Hey," Jen and Jack said at the same time. "Hey!" They turned to each other. Then they laughed.

"Let's not copy each other, okay?" Jen laughed.

"Fine with me," Jack said.

Jen and Jack sat down before Pacey could and guess where the last seat was? Pacey sighed and sat in his chair, looking over at Joey who sat next to him. "Hey," Pacey said.

"Hey," Joey smiled timidly at him and then looked away.

"So, how's that movie of yours coming along, Dawson?" Jack made the fatal mistake of asking.

Dawson immediately grinned and leaned forward in his seat. "Well, Jack, it's coming along amazingly, I can't believe how much fun I'm having and I've already cast the actors and-"

Pacey started to tune Dawson out as he continued to talk about his job and himself with increasing excitement. He hadn't really seen Dawson since that party of his and he had to say he hadn't really missed him. Dawson talked about himself mostly anyway. You could hardly get your two cents in if it wasn't about Dawson or if you weren't complimenting him.

As Pacey stared at Dawson and watched his mouth open and close and never stop moving, he felt himself starting to wonder why he was still friends with Dawson. He barely saw him and when they were together they couldn't find much to talk about anyway and Pacey didn't agree with Dawson on much. Dawson sometimes did this annoying thing where he kept talking. Like he was doing now.

Pacey let his eyes drift away from Dawson and his eyes slowly landed on Joey next to him. She didn't seem to be paying much attention to Dawson either. She was leaning her cheek onto her hand, her arm elbow propped up on the table and she was looking down at her menu, although he was pretty sure she wasn't actually reading the food on there.

Joey seemed to feel his gaze on her, for in the next second, she looked up and their eyes clashed.

She smiled softly. "I don't listen to him half the time, anyway," Joey shrugged and laughed softly.

Pacey found himself smiling back at her, feeling as if her smile was contagious. "Yeah, it's been that way for like...ever," Pacey said. "Did you know by now that he likes movies?"

"No, I had no idea," Joey said in a fake shocked voice as she sat up and leaned towards him. "Really?"

"Oh yeah, that's his one true love," Pacey said in a mock-serious tone.

"Yes, he'd be racked with grief if all the movies in the whole world were destroyed. How would he go on?"

Joey laughed. Then she looked down and mumbled something under her breath that sounded a lot to him like "Would probably miss them more then me."

Pacey instantly frowned as the conversation turned serious. "Jo, don't say that," Pacey said softly.

Joey looked up at him with wide-eyes, as if she'd just realized what she said. Then she cleared her throat. It seemed as if Dawson had finally stopped talking. Pacey looked to others just as Jen blinked and looked around as if she had just woken up and Jack nodded slowly, saying "That's great."

"Yeah," Dawson seemed a little out of breath, but he still had a huge smile on his face. "I really hope this becomes successful."

"I'm sure it will, Dawson," Jack looked like he was trying to resist the urge to yawn.

"It will!" And Dawson went off again.

Pacey tried not to laugh as he turned to Jack and whispered quietly. "I bet you're wishing you hadn't asked right about now," Pacey chuckled as Jack narrowed his eyes at Pacey.

"Shut up," He muttered.

Pacey chuckled and looked at Dawson who had once again finished another little rant. He hadn't been listening.

"So, Jo," Jen said, completely ignoring Dawson. "How's the wedding coming along?"

Pacey immediately tensed and clenched his jaw as he quickly put his hands in his lap to keep the others from seeing them shaking. He felt a lump in his throat.

Joey almost had the same reaction. She quickly glance at Pacey and saw his reaction. She looked back at Jen. "Um...I-it-"

"Oh, Jen, it's coming along beautifully!" Dawson said, completely oblivious to the obvious tension that had suddenly filled the table. Jen sighed and looked at Dawson. "We're going to have it in this big church and the reception is at the nearest Hilton to the church and we've got all the RSVP's back-well almost all of them, i think," Dawson said, furrowing his brows. "But I got my tux the other day, by the way-"

"Dawson, Dawson," Jen stopped him. She noticed how he hadn't turned once to Joey, hadn't taken her hand in a loving gesture or even mention her once. He was acting as if he was getting married to himself. And Jen suddenly thought that he totally would marry himself. "I asked Joey," Jen tried to say in the politest tone possible.

"What?" Dawson looked generally confused.

"I was asking Joey, not-"

"Jen," Joey said quickly, cutting her off. "It's okay, Dawson loves talking about this stuff, so you should let him."

"Doesn't the bride usually talk about that stuff?" Jack asked, looking confused.

And uncomfortable silence filled the table. Then Joey turned to Pacey when she saw out of the corner of her eye that he was trying not to laugh. "What's so funny, Pacey?"

All eyes turned to Pacey. Pacey looked around at all of him before he let it out. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He laughed.

"Are you laughing at me?" Dawson narrowed his eyes.

Pacey tried to stop his laughter and managed it for a second. "No, no...it's nothing," he said, trying not to laugh. In truth, he was. He felt bad that he was laughing at Dawson, but the way Dawson was acting was just...funny. Not that it was bad that a guy was interested in the wedding things, it was just the way Dawson acted about it. Like he was more excited than Joey. It was like he was more excited about the party that was entailed with a wedding than actually marrying Joey. Pacey's thoughts immediately sobered when that thought to came to his head. Because that wasn't funny.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Pacey cleared his throat.

Just then the waiter came up to their table. "Sorry for the wait, we'll take your orders now if you like?" He looked around the table.

Dawson immediately told the waiter what he wanted. Then they went around and ordered and the waiter left.

"Excuse me, I have to use the restroom," Joey said suddenly. As she got up, Joey looked at Pacey...was she trying to tell him something?

As she left, Pacey furrowed his brow. The way she had looked at him before she left confused him. Should he go and see if she wanted him to follow her?

"Pacey...Pacey-"

Pacey whipped his head around to look at Jack who was laughing. "Where were you?"

"Uh, nowhere..." Pacey shrugged as he looked back at the way Joey had went and then back at Jack. "Were you saying something?"

"Yeah, I was asking how Oceanside is coming along," Jack grinned.

As Pacey answered Jack, Jen looked at Pacey carefully. She hadn't missed the tension, she hadn't missed the way they seemed to dance around each other at times, but also when they weren't dancing around each other, the way they were laughing with each other. She could swear she saw their eyes sparkle. She shook her head at that thought. Something was going on.

And when Pacey excused himself to the bathroom a few minutes later-Joey still wasn't back-she stared after him suspiciously.

Pacey went back to where the bathrooms were and looked around. Joey wasn't there. So maybe she hadn't been telling him to come after her.

"Pacey."

Pacey turned around and was surprised to see Joey as she came up to him and kissed him on the lips. He pulled back quickly. "Woah, woah, Jo..." Pacey breathed.

"Pace...what took you so long?"

"What-what do you mean? I thought-I thought this was a mistake...wasn't going to happen..." Pacey said, confused.

"It wasn't. But..." Joey sighed as she leaned forward and brushed her lips over his. "Who are we fooling?"

"Uh...I think a lot of people, because Dawson doesn't seem to have a clue, well Jen and Jack just got here, but we haven't-"

"Pacey," Joey said, looking at him with a hard expression. "I'm here, kissing you and all you can do is talk and try to get out of this. Do you not want me?"

"I do! Of course i do!" Pacey said too quickly. Then looked away. "I-i mean...you...and...Dawson -"

"Pacey, I need you..." Joey brought her hands to his chest.

"Like...how?" Pacey looked at her with wide eyes.

She just kissed him, trying to tell him what she was too scared to tell him. She was feeling things she shouldn't feel.

This time, Pacey didn't pull away and they both fell back into the bathroom, not caring to look to see if it was the women or men's bathroom.

"Are we actually going to do this?" Joey pulled back this time, looking unsure.

"Oh, so now you're going to back out?" Pacey scoffed playfully.

"We're going to be doing this sober and knowing full and well what we're doing, who we might hurt..." Joey started to pull Pacey to one of the stalls.

"Yeah, we will..." Pacey stopped them and asked her the question he didn't ask last time. "Are you sure?"

Joey bit her lip for a second before she nodded. "I'm sure."

Their lips met in a fire of passion as they stumbled into the stall and closed the stall door behind them.


	16. Tweedledum And Tweedledee

**Chapter 16: Tweedledum and Tweedledee**

**A/N: Again, this chapter is two chapters forged into one. **

* * *

><p>Pacey pulled Joey up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, both lost in the intense kiss they were sharing. Joey had finally just let go and gave into her attraction to Pacey. And it felt good. Somewhere deep down she knew she'd always been attracted to Pacey, but she'd always pushed it away, buried it. Right at that moment, she needed him. Her attraction to him was like this big flame that never died. Maybe not just her attraction, but more. But she couldn't admit it to herself. She wasn't ready.<p>

"Pacey..." Joey breathed as he went down to kiss her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of his hair between her fingers. She bucked her hips against his and heard him groat as he buried his head in her chest, leaving a hot trail of kisses from her neck to her chest. Just as Pacey was about to go lower, they heard the door open and Jen call out.

"Joey, you in here?"

Joey and Pacey froze and after a second Pacey dropped her legs to the ground, pulled his head away from her as they stared at each other in panic. "Quick, stand on the toilet!" Joey hissed and Pacey nodded frantically and did as she said while she shouted to Jen "Yeah, I'm in here." Her voice sounded uneven. She cringed and hoped Jen wouldn't be able to detect anything.

"Sorry to disturb you, but it's been well past ten minutes and i don't want to be rude or anything, but how could take that long?" Jen laughed uncertainly.

"Oh, sorry I...um, I got a call before I could go to the bathroom and am going now," Joey said, looked back at Pacey, who was bent over so he wouldn't be seen over the stall. They both looked at each other and waited on baited breath.

"Oh, okay," Jen said. "We were all starting to wonder," Jen's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, well i'm fine, nothing swallowed me or anything," Joey laughed. She vaguely remembered having tossed her bag onto the counter on her way in with Pacey. Sh made a mental note of it.

"Did you see Pacey on your way in at all? He's been gone for a while too," Jen said.

Their eyes widened as they stared at each other. Joey tried to sound as nonchalant as she answered. "Jen, I've been in here the whole time, why would i see Pacey? Did he go to the bathroom too?" Pacey and Joey stared at each other intensely.

"No, just maybe you saw him outside when you took your call," Jen said.

"Nope," Joey said simply, hoping Jen would leave.

"Hmm..." Was that suspicion in Jen's voice? They heard heels clicking on the floor and Joey were scared that Jen was coming to her stall, but then heard her speak. "Okay, well, I'll see you out there. I'll report back to the boys."

"You do that. Now can I go to the bathroom in peace?" Joey laughed nervously.

"Yeah, sorry Jo," Joey could hear the smirk in Jen's voice as they heard heals again and the opening and closing of a door. Joey and Pacey let out relieved breaths and Joey held up a finger for Pacey to be quiet when she saw him open his mouth to speak. "I have to check," She whispered as she opened the stall door and looked out into the bathroom, seeing that Jen had indeed left. "Good, the coast is clear," Joey said as Pacey finally got down from the toilet.

As they left the stall, Pacey stretched. "That was uncomfortable," Pacey cracked his back as he stretched.

Joey and Pacey looked at each for a long moment before Joey turned away, her cheeks red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Pacey," Joey covered her face with her hands. "Now I feel so humiliated," Joey''s cheek reddened even more.

"No, i'm sorry-"

"I practically jumped you!" Joey screeched, moving towards the sinks and sighing when she saw her bag on the floor by the counter. Okay, maybe she'd missed the counter in her haste to get Pacey into the stall.

"We both did," Pacey sighed.

"No, that was all me. I don't know what I was thinking," Joey shook her head. "There you were, and Dawson was going on and on like he usually does and I was bored out of my mind and you just looked so-" She stopped herself as she looked at Pacey who had a small smirk on his face. "Shut up," She glared at him.

Pacey shrugged. "I didn't say anything."

"Oh yes you did, with that-"

Joey was interrupted when the bathroom door opened and a woman came in. The woman stopped in her tracks and looked at Pacey with wide eyes. "Uh," She looked confusedly at the sign on the door, then at Pacey, then at the door and back again. "I'm sorry, is this the woman's room?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, i'll just be leaving now," Pacey cleared his throat and threw Joey a quick look before he walked past her and the woman quickly and Joey saw him redden. She tried not to smile.

"Okay, what the hell? Am I going crazy?" The woman asked, looking back at the door that was now closed.

"No, no," Joey said quickly, avoiding the woman's eyes. "I was just having a serious conversation with a friend and what better place than an empty bathroom? I'll just be leaving, then," Joey picked up her bag from the ground and tried to avoid the woman's gaze as she then too left the bathroom.

"See you guys!" Jen called to Dawson and Joey as they went towards their car. The two waved back at the three of them.

Pacey, Jack and Jen then turned and started walking toward Pacey's car. But as Pacey moved to open the drivers side door, Jack and Jen converged on him like two bodyguards, blocking him entry into the car.

"Okay, what is this?" Pacey asked in confusion as Jack and Jen both crossed their arms at the same time. Pacey laughed. "What are you two, tweedledum and tweedledee?"

"You aren't funny," Jack said, although Jen smiled.

"And neither are you, now if you please," Pacey motioned to the side for them to move, "Allow me entrance, oh wise ones," Pacey laughed.

"Oh, we are wise," Jack said.

"Very wise," Jen said.

"So wise in fact," Jack started.

"That we can totally see what's-"

"Right in front-"

"Of our faces," Jen finished.

Pacey looked between them, looking scared. "Okay, that's freaky," Pacey held up a finger at them, furrowing his brow.

"We love being freaky," Jen sighed happily.

"It's so fun," Jack seemed giddy.

"Okay, Jackers, tone it down," Jen said gently.

"Right," Jack cleared his throat and made a straight face. They both turned back to Pacey, who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Okay, back to our original point," Jen said strongly.

"Yes, which is-" Jack said.

"Something is going on between you and our friend little miss Josephine Potter," Jen said with raised eyebrows.

The smiled was wiped from Pacey's face in an instant and things turned serious. "What?" Pacey said tightly.

"Ah, and there it is," Jack said, pointing at Pacey.

"Yes, the way you tensed, the tight lips, the narrowed eyes," Jen smirked. "What have you and our friend been doing, I wonder?"

"Nothing. Nothing. Now leave me alone and get out of the way," Pacey said, putting one hand on Jack's shoulder and one on Jen's shoulder and shoving them. But they wouldn't budge.

"Ah ah ah!" Jen said, putting her hand over Pacey's and pulling it off her shoulder. "There will be none of that."

Pacey removed his other hand from Jacks shoulder and groaned throwing his hands up in the air. "What do you want to here from me?"

"The truth," Jack said. "We saw the sexual tension the whole night and it just got worse when you both came back from the bathroom."

"I didn't do anything with Joey in the bathroom!" Pacey protested too quickly.

"Uh huh, you really convinced us there," Jen laughed.

Pacey sighed and ran his hands over his face, feeling like screaming. "Why do you two have to be so observant?"

"And Dawson so oblivious?" Jack countered.

Pacey dropped his hands and looked at both of them sadly. They sighed and frowned.

"Look, Pacey," Jen said gently. "We aren't judging. And we will keep anything you say to us a secret. We want you to know we are you're best friends and we would do anything for you."

"Yes, we aren't stupid. We know you wouldn't be doing anything with Joey if it wasn't serious," Jack said calmly.

"It's-I, she isn't..." Pacey stuttered, but just trailed off, feeling many emotions at once. Guilt, anger, sadness...

"Why don't we finish this at your place?" Jen asked calmly.

"Um, yeah, sure," Pacey said as they finally moved out of the way and Pacey fumbled with his keys and then opened his door. They all got in the car and it was quiet as Pacey started the long drive home.

* * *

><p>The car ride had been silent. Pacey tried to put his thoughts together, tried to think of what he could possibly say to Jen and Jack. It was kind of scary how close they were. They were like twins, without the whole looking like each other thing. They were lucky to have each other. Even as just friends.<p>

Once they walked into Pacey's house and sat down in his living room, the lights off, keeping the room in darkness except for the light of the moon shining through the sliding glass door.

"Okay," Jen was the first one to speak. The silence had been deafening. Now the sound of her voice startled Pacey a little. "What's going on?"

Pacey sighed slowly and dropped his head in his hands as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his face tiredly and then winced as he finally admitted it, "Joey and I had drunken sex a month and a half ago."

Pacey looked away, not being able to take looking at their faces. But he also felt oddly liberated. Because he had finally been able to tell someone, anyone. It felt like he had been carrying this big weight on his shoulders and it was now being lifted off him. He sighed as he looked at them.

"Wow," Jack was the first to say something.

"Kind of surprising," Jen raised her eyebrows.

"Then we kissed once at a party a couple weeks ago. Nothing more happened."

"And tonight?" Jen asked with a raised eyebrow.

Pacey just looked at both of them guiltily and then looked at the carpet. His silence told them everything they needed to know.

"So you were in the bathroom with Joey," Jen said.

Pacey buried his head in his hands and nodded. "But it didn't go beyond kissing," Pacey said into his hands, making his words muffled. "I guess it's good you stopped us when you did, Jen. Because I swear, I wouldn't have been able to stop," Pacey looked over at them, leaning his cheek in his hand as they watching him silently. He continued when they didn't say anything. "It's like Joey was this drug and I couldn't...god," Pacey groaned. "She just came up to me near the bathrooms and started saying she needed me and when she kissed me, I couldn't pull her away, so there we were, making a big mistake once again," Pacey shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "Now I feel like shit. Because I was about to have sex with Joey again like it was this meaningless fling in a bathroom, like it didn't mean anything to me. It was almost the first time all over again. But I can't let that happen again. Because it is far from meaningless with Joey."

Jen and Jack exchanged a look.

"Well, us wise ones know exactly what is going on," Jack said.

"Please, inform me, oh wise ones," Pacey rolled his eyes.

"You're in love with her," Jen and Jack said at the same time.

Pacey snapped his head up to look at them. His eyes were wide and a lump lodged it's way in his throat. He'd known that. He'd known it for a while now. But to actually here it coming out of someone else's mouth made it all the more real. He swallowed and looked away slowly, not being able to say anything.

Jack and Jen nodded, their suspicions confirmed.

"That's not surprising," Jack said as he sat back in the chair he was sitting in.

"It's not?" Pacey asked tiredly, sarcastically.

"Nope," Jen shook her head and smirked. "In fact, it's always been obvious."

"What do you mean, always?" Pacey looked at them.

"Well, it's always been obvious to us, anyway," Jack said.

"What has?" Pacey was getting slightly irritated.

"Pacey," Jen laughed as she sat forward slightly, smiling at him. "You've always been in love with her."

Now that was a surprise. Pacey eyes widened and he looked at them dumbly. "What?"

Had he always been in love with her?

That was news to him. But the longer he thought about it, the more he understood. Yes, he had always been in love with Joey Potter. And he knew he'd always be in love with her. Oh, he was so screwed.

* * *

><p>Three days after they got there, Jen and Jack were able to rent a car and without Pacey knowing, headed into the city and toward Dawson and Joey's apartment. For the past three days, the two had watched Pacey carefully and when they had tried to bring up the subject of Joey and his not so easily hidden feelings, he would say "Not now, guys," and walk away. They would sigh and roll their eyes at each other. They knew Pacey probably felt embarrassed or something for having poured his feelings out to them.<p>

But they had to know more to get the full picture. They knew Pacey's side of the story and his side of feelings. But they hadn't been able to talk to Joey yet. They needed to know what was going on in that head of hers. And they were the "wise ones" and they did everything as a team. They headed for Joey's work as they made it into LA, because they knew she wouldn't be home in the afternoon. And they knew it would best to have this conversation without Dawson there.

Jack and Jen walked into the LA Times and wove through all the desks filled with busy people either talking on the phone or typing away at their computers. They had been to Joey's work about twice before, but not with her as the editor of the paper, so they had to stop one person and ask where her office was. The person, who looked annoyed at being interrupted, pointed straight ahead to a door and said nothing.

Jack and Jen rolled their eyes and went the way the person had pointed. As they reached the door, they saw it was cracked open and they were able to hear Joey's voice.

"Look, Dawson..." She paused.

Jen and Jack exchanged glances. "Should we...?" Jen asked wearily.

"Just wait," Jack said, shaking his head. He wanted to hear what was going on.

"But we've already had this conversation, Dawson!" Joey said loudly. When she spoke again, she spoke quieter. "We agreed this was going to happen again...we're getting married in two weeks and if this is how we act towards each other two weeks before our fucking wedding, doesn't that tell you something, Dawson?...Oh, please! Dawson! We can't-we need to talk-but wait!...I...I love you too..."

Jen and Jack raised their eyebrows. She didn't seem too enthusiastic when she said that. "Trouble in paradise?" Jen whispered to Jack.

"Jen," Jack said, sighing. "I have a feeling that there has been trouble for a long while in this paradise."

"You're probably right. Not so much a paradise at all..." Jen whispered as they listened in on the end of the conversation.

"Yeah, see you Dawson. No, go have fun with your movie friends. I'll see you at home-oh wait, i won't. Because you'll be out."

They heard her angrily hang up the phone. They gave it a few moments before they pushed into her office.

"Joey!" They said together.

Joey looked up at them, surprised. Then she smiled. "Jen! Jack! What are you guys doing here?" She stood up and came over to give each of them a hug.

"Well, we wanted to see you," Jack said.

"Talk to you," Jen amended.

"Oh? About the wedding? I thought we weren't starting until tomorrow, Jen," Joey said.

"Not about the wedding," Jen said seriously, not being able to stop the pitying look forming on her face.

Joey looked between Jen and Jack, confused. "Did you guys happen to hear that conversation-"

"Conversation?"

"What conversation, we didn't hear anything," Jen said quickly. The two looked at each other quickly, then away.

"Okay, what's going on?" Joey laughed humorlessly as she looked from one to the other. They were acting weird.

"We had a talk with Pacey the night we got into town..." Jack started.

Joey looked between them again and then her eyes widened and she swallowed the lump in her throat. "He...he told you?" She whispered hoarsely.

"Well, we kind of pried it out of him," Jen said, not wanting to get Pacey into trouble.

"We kind of figured something had to have happened. I mean, it was obvious," Jack said and then he turned to close the door when he saw someone pause outside in the hallway. "Go away," He scowled at the man standing there and closed the door in the man's wide-eyed face.

Joey sighed heavily and dropped her head into her hands. "What exactly did he tell you?" She mumbled.

"Well, we had figured there wasn't something quite right with you two, so we cornered Pacey after dinner and kept prodding and poking until he got so annoyed that he told us that something happened in the bathroom..." Jen trailed off.

Joey groaned into her hands.

"I totally knew he was in there, by the way," Jen smirked.

"But then he totally broke down and told us about that night...how long ago was it?" Jack turned to Jen.

"Hmm...I think he said something along the lines of 'We were drunk and it happened a month and a half ago.' That's summarizing it..." Jen said.

Joey looked up at them and then dropped her eyes to the floor. "I know! I'm horrible. I'm a horrible cheating bitch who doesn't deserve Dawson. I know, you guys can have a go at me!" Joey wasn't able to look them in the eye.

"Joey, Joey, Joey," Jen shook her head, sitting down on the couch that Joey had in her office.

"You aren't horrible," Jack shook his head.

"And weather or not you deserve Dawson has nothing to do with this," Jen said.

"We know it has to be more than just sex for you and Pacey to have done what you did," Jack then moved to sit next to Jen on the couch. They both looked up at Joey at the same time.

"Um...well..." Joey furrowed her brow.

"First of all, it's you and Pacey," Jen said.

"Yeah," Jack laughed. "Second, you're Joey!"

"And?" Joey asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, you don't cheat. Not just like that. It took you a long time to even have sex with someone."

"Hey, I am not a prude anymore," Joey scowled.

"I didn't say anything about you being a prude," Jack said softly. "You just don't have meaningless sex. With anyone. At all. And it's Pacey, so obviously it's more than just sex."

"What do you mean?" Joey looked confused.

"You guys have been best friends for years, Joey," Jen said. "You mean something to each other. Whether you're drunk or not, you mean something to each other."

"Yeah...I guess we do," Joey said and looked down at her feet. "I mean, I care about him."

"We know," Jen said.

Jack and Jen looked at Joey, willing her to just admit what they both already knew. Pacey was at the point where he could admit it and Joey was pretty obvious. But then again, she was always a little slow on the uptake. She was using her classic Joey Potter technique. Denial. Jack and Jen now had to decide if they should push or not. Should they let Joey figure it out for herself? Or should they state the obvious, to push her until she got it and actually did something about it?

They weren't sure. But they had to try.

"It's obvious there are feelings there," Jack said bluntly.

"Feelings?" Joey laughed unconvincingly. "Yeah right. The only feelings there are-"

"Don't say it," Jen shook her head with a sigh.

"Yeah, don't play us for fools, Jo," Jack shook his head with a wince.

"And these feelings weren't just obvious at dinner. They've always been obvious," Jen said.

"What do you mean, 'always'?" Joey asked wearily, now wishing her two friends hadn't come to her work.

"Come on, Joey, please just stop running for once and admit what we all, except for Dawson, know," Jen said a little harsher than she intended. But she knew Joey was making a huge mistake with Dawson. It's not that she hated Dawson, she just hadn't been that close with him in years and found him less suited for Joey than everyone had always said he was. All their lives, it was like people pushed those two together and by the time they actually did get together and then broke up and started their little dance, it had just gone on too long for people not to think they were soulmates. It was as if they were just expected to be together forever, even when if you took a closer look, it was clear they weren't.

"Running? I'm not running from anything," Joey said quickly and then walked back around her desk and sat in her chair. "You guys can go now."

"Man, you're a lot tougher than Pacey," Jack shook his head.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Joey scowled as she looked over at the two.

"That you're so stubborn that we can't get through that thick skull of yours," Jen said as she stood up.

"Oh and what are you trying to get to through my 'think skull'?" Joey said sarcastically.

"That you're in love with Pacey," Jack burst out, not being able to take it anymore. He had the option of playing it safe and letting her and Pacey dance around each other and act like they didn't feel anything more than friendship between each other until it was too late or he could actually do something and make her see what he and Jen had seen for years. Sometimes in the past he had wanted to scream at the two "Just fuck already and get it over with!"

There was just those times when it was glaringly obvious that he was surprised that no was blinded by the sheer intensity when they looked at each other. Or how they talked with each other or how Pacey would lean in closer to her and she would in turn do the same.

But then they would pull away and it would be like nothing had happened. And now, since something had happened, Jack couldn't take it anymore. He had to say something. Jen had looked as if she was just about to do the same thing.

Joey looked up at the two, her eyes wide and shocked. Her mouth hung open and nothing came out of her mouth as the silence filled the room.

When Joey began to sputter and started to speak in words that didn't make any sense, Jen rolled her eyes and turned around, pulling the door open. "Come on, Jack, let's leave Joey to live in denial in peace."

"Hey, did you know that denial isn't just a river in Egypt, it's a freaking ocean?" Jack said to Joey, who was looking at them in disbelief.

"Jack. There's a time and a place," Jen said and then grabbed his arm and led him out of Joey's office.

Well, they had gotten somewhere.


	17. You Don't Even Compare

**Chapter 17: You Don't Even Compare**

* * *

><p>Joey didn't know what to do. As she got into her car that evening and started for home, her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Jen and Jack had pushed everything on her so quickly. She hadn't had any time to prepare for what they were going to stay. She was so confused, so scared. What if they were right? Was she in love with Pacey? She didn't know. She just didn't know.<p>

But she scoffed and shook her head. She was lying to herself. Tears formed in her eyes. Of course she knew. Of course she was in love with him. She always had been. But she had been in huge denial. Like Jack said, it wasn't just a river in Egypt, it was a freaking ocean. And she had had an ocean full of denial in her. It was all she had to hold onto. If she denied it, if she just didn't think it was true, then it wouldn't be true. And she would be able to move on from Pacey and what they did and live happily ever with Dawson, who she was supposed to marry in two weeks time.

But that a was a fantasy, an empty hope that wouldn't come true.

She had stood there in shock for a long time after Jack and Jen left, not sure if she should agree with what they said or not. She had been frozen in place, not knowing which way to go. Then she had closed her mouth that had been sitting on the floor for quite some time, sat down slowly and thought and thought and thought.

When she was younger, that was all she seemed to do. She would think about things endlessly. Maybe that's why it was easy with Dawson, because that was all he did too. But she had grown up a long time ago and as she had sat at her desk, she had to tell herself that thinking and thinking in circles hadn't ever really gotten her anywhere in the past. And that the thing she had been thinking so hard about didn't really require all that much thought. She had to just accept it. Which she didn't want to do. She wasn't ready for it.

But she had made it all the way to her car before she gave in and just thought what she knew she felt. She was in love with Pacey Witter. And it scared the shit out of her. Being with Dawson had never scared her. Because it was easy. It was comfortable. And she never had to worry about getting hurt. She didn't have to take a risk with him. That's why he had been her world for her whole life, when really, her whole world had been Pacey. He'd been there the whole time, in the background. But now he was glaringly in the front and he wouldn't go away. He was all she thought about.

What could she do about it, though? What if she confessed to Dawson what she did, he broke it off and she was free to get together with Pacey? Would she live happily ever after with him? Or would he somehow hurt her? Just because he had the power to. But no, that wasn't Pacey. He would never hurt her or anyone for that matter, on purpose. On purpose. What if he did it unintentionally? Or what if she hurt him and in turn hurt herself?

What if...if...if...if...

Her heart was racing, she could barely breath. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she was ready to take that step. If she'd ever be ready. There was this deep ridden fear in her telling her to run.

Because it was easier. Running would be so easy...

So easy...

Joey made it to the apartment and got out of the car slowly. She breathed deeply as she went up to the door, opened and stepped into their-unsurprisingly-empty apartment. She tiredly dumped her bag and coat on the floor and kicked her shoes off as she made her way to her bedroom. She tiredly laid down on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. All she could do right then was sleep.

* * *

><p>"So, you want the reception at the Hilton hotel-"<p>

"No, Dawson does," Joey sighed. "I want it under a tent. After the ceremony which would be outside-"

"But Dawson doesn't want that," Jen nodded in understanding.

"We can barely even afford it," Joey said in frustration. "I don't get why he wants to blow all our money on this thing that will only last a couple hours and will never happen again."

"Joey Potter, who knew you were a cynic," Jen laughed sarcastically.

"I'm not being a cynic. I'm being practical."

Jen just shrugged with a smirk. A silence passed between them as they looked through pictures of possible reception areas. Then Jen shot Joey a look. Joey looked over at Jen. "What?" She said uncomfortably.

"You talked to Pacey lately?"

Joey tensed immediately and her eyes sharpened. "Why do you ask?" She snapped.

Jen held up her hands defensively. "It's just been a week since Jack and I got here and the dinner and..." She trailed off.

"And?" Joey prompted.

"Nothing," Jen shakes her head.

Joey opens her mouth to tell her to go on, but something in her stops her and she just shrugs. "So, tell me how your time here has been," She offered lamely.

Jen looks at Joey and raises an eyebrow before shrugging. "Pacey's place is amazing. I always love staying there."

"Yeah, it's beautiful," Joey smiled.

"And Pacey's been good," Jen slipped in.

"Good," Joey tried to seem disinterested.

"He feels the same way, by the way."

"Jen, lets just get back to this," Joey said quickly, clearing her throat and picking up pictures, but not really looking at them. Jen just shrugged and said a silent "okay," while Joey's heart pounded in her chest.

The calming music in the diner set Joey at ease, the low mumble of people talking a comfort to her. For the past week, she had been battling with herself. What should she do? She still had a week left until she married Dawson...but then again, she was so close, so why ruin it? But she was finding she didn't really love Dawson all that much. Why should she ruin her life over someone she didn't love?

But it would be so much easier to be with Dawson than to be with Pacey. But was it supposed to be easy? Didn't it mean so much more when it was hard? When you had to work at it? Her life would be much more fulfilling with Pacey. But she was scared shitless to have anything with Pacey. She'd never been faced with the prospect of being with someone she actually, truly loved.

She was also finding it becoming harder and harder to be with Dawson everyday. And that didn't make sense. If it was supposed to be easy, then why was it hard? She knew it was comfortable...it always would be. But comfortable wasn't always the best. She was so confused and she didn't know which way to go. Follow her head or her heart? She hadn't even seen Pacey for days...she missed him. A lot. But she wasn't about to go admitting that to anyone.

She would still close her eyes sometimes and picture him in her mind and remember the way he felt...how he kissed her, how his hands felt on her, how he made her feel alive...how her skin burned in desire from his touch. Every nerve ending was on fire when he touched her and her senses would perk up when he walked into a room. She felt things with him that she had never felt with Dawson. Why shouldn't that scare her?

"So, Jo," Jen tried to changed the subject, bringing her out of her thoughts. "I called the caterer back and he said he'd do it for three hundred dollars, the whole night."

"Three hundred?" Joey asked, already wondering if they could afford that. "I-I guess..." She muttered. Dawson would want the best caterer and this guy was the best they'd been able to find under their budget. Was it all really worth it?

Joey tried to pay attention as Jen went into more details about the wedding and all these things to do...it was starting to boggle her mind. Couldn't it just be simple? Why did it all have to be so complicated?

Jen was being a huge help, she was and Joey was just glad she didn't have to do it all herself. Her mind would explode.

"So we've gotten RSVP's from a total of two hundred people-"

"Two hundred?" Joey's eyes popped wide. "Wait, I don't even remember inviting that many people. I just invited my dad, Bess, Bodie and Alex and Audrey-Dawson got Andie, his mom, his little sister, we both got you and Jack, as well as Pacey..."

Joey trailed off at his name and looked down at the table. She remembered his gentle kisses, as well as his passionate ones, she remembered his hands all over her, him inside her, filling her to the brink-

"And-and-and I invited my co-workers, Dawson his...that should amount to like...less than fifty people, probably more around thirty or forty, iI don't know why we need such a big wedding and...and..."

Joey stopped her ramble and looked over at Jen, who was just sitting there calmly, giving her a knowing smile.

"Shut up," Joey pouted.

Jen just laughed softly.

Joey sighed heavily as she made her way into a once again empty apartment. Where was Dawson at? Did she really even care?

Joey sighed again and made her way over to the phone to check the messages. They had two.

"Hey, Dawson, it's me Tiffany, I know you told me never to ring your home phone, but I lost your cell and I just really need to see you soon, because I want-" The woman paused and then continued on "-I want to know what you think about my suggestion for your show and If I should be your lo-"

*Message Deleted* the recording woman's voice rang out into the silent apartment. Joey's jaw clenched as the next message started to play.

"Hey, Jo, it's me, Pacey-"

Joey gasped and her heart beat quickened. "Pacey..." She breathed.

"-obviously," He gave a short laugh. "Look, I think we need to talk. Because there is something i need to say to you, something I've been holding in...for a very long time. Only I didn't realize it 'till like...two weeks ago-or more, but now I know I've been holding it in...forever. So I need to tell you or I'm going to go crazy. I also...I...I miss you, Jo...bye."

Joey felt a tear roll down her cheek as she pressed save. *Message Saved*

"I love you..." She whispered to the message recorder, meaning it with everything she had, but knowing she didn't have the spine to really say it to his face. She was a coward who was settling for less. And she knew it. She was still that scared little girl she had been growing up. What was it that he needed to say to her, though? Was it the same thing she was too scared to tell him? The same thing that had taken her till just a week ago to realize?

She wiped her tear away and went toward her bedroom. She needed sleep. She sighed as she slipped her shoes off and fell onto the bed. As she sighed happily into the pillow, her hand felt something rough, not like the sheets. She furrowed her brow and pulled at whatever it was she felt, moving her face away from the pillow. As she pulled the object out, her features became confused. It was a bra. What would her-?

But wait...that wasn't her bra. She knew it wasn't. It had a rainbow colored pattern and she saw something else sticking out from beneath the sheets and pulled it out. Matching underwear. Joey never wore rainbow colored bra and panties. She hated the bright colors. They weren't her. So what were they doing in her bed with which she shared with Dawson?

Joey's features hardened as understanding dawned on her. She fisted the fabric in her hands, anger coursing through her.

How could she have been so blind?

* * *

><p>Joey sat on the couch, the bra and panties she found sitting next to her. She was staring at the blank TV, thinking. She should have known... She had suspected, but had pushed it aside. Why did she always do that with Dawson? Why didn't she just get a spine when it came to him? What was it about him? She didn't know. But it stopped now. She had had enough. Joey wasn't one to take someone cheating on her lightly. And she had cheated as well. So they were even.<p>

That is what she had been wanting to do for a long time, if she told herself the truth. Tonight was a night of truth telling. Finally. She just felt so tired. Physically and emotionally. And she really wished she had warm, comforting arms around to her to comfort her. Pacey's arms. She had been craving them for a while; she didn't know when it started. But she'd remember their drunken night more easily each time and she'd just want more of it, but knew she couldn't.

As she sat back, she let a laugh escape her. She didn't know why she was laughing. All she knew was this situation was so ridiculous. And she didn't love Dawson any more than she loved a stranger on the street she didn't know. Which meant...she felt no love for him. Had no love for him. And hadn't for quite some time. Probably ever since their second or third break up, she wasn't sure which one. He had just been there. So she wouldn't be alone. When she had accepted his proposal-there had been the candle lit dinner, the roses, the music, the works-she had said yes out of what felt like obligation. It was the next logical step.

But what was the fun in logical?

She toyed with the ring on her left ring finger, wanting to rip it off-but knowing it would be much more satisfying throwing it in his face. Maybe it would hit him in the eye...

She had to stop with the violent thoughts. But she couldn't help it. She hated him. Every time he opened his mouth, she felt like yelling, "I hate you, Dawson Leery!" like a five year old. It was just the impulse she got. How she could have ever loved him, she had no idea.

And hey, she was scared, to be sure. She was about to end something she had had for the last six years. She hadn't been on her own in six years. But she knew she could do it. Because she wouldn't be alone for long, she hoped and if she got what she wished, she would be much happier this time around. "Pacey..." She whispered into the quiet apartment, all her thoughts on him right now, a small smile on her lips. God, she missed him.

When had he turned into the person she could always rely on? The person who knew her better than she knew herself? The person who she knew now was to be her partner in life. Her ying to his yang. Two halves of a whole. The whole shebang. She knew it now. All she had to do was get through this conversation with Dawson, give back his ring and walk out the door and hopefully out of his life forever.

She jumped at the sound of the door opening, but then relaxed. She was ready. It was time she grew a spine. In the past couple of months there had been plenty of things that should have meant the end, but she had stayed anyway, because she was scared. Had been scared. He had been her safety net. She was tired of being safe.

"Jo, you home?" She heard him call out.

She took in a deep breath, looked over at the bra and panties and then let out her breath. "In the living room!"

She heard his footsteps as he started to ramble. "So I was thinking we could have a movie night tonight, we haven't had one in a while...is that what you're doing-" Dawson stopped short as he entered the living room and saw the back of Joey's head as she just sat there, doing nothing. "Jo?" He asked as he slowly walked around the couch toward the front. Joey looked up at Dawson as he came to stand at the side of the couch. Dawson's brow furrowed before he looked down and saw the clothes on the cushion next to Joey.

There was an infinite change in his expression as he saw the garments. His eyes widened slightly and his Adams apple quivered. But he didn't say anything as he looked back up at Joey. And she stared back. No accusing look, no glare, nothing. She just waited for him to say something, anything.

"Uh...what are those, Jo?" Dawson asked dumbly in his shock.

She smirked. "What do they look like, Dawson?"

"A...uh...bra and panties," He said slowly, clearing his throat and looking away as if they made him uncomfortable.

"Yes, they are, good job," Joey plastered a sarcastic grin on her face. "And for getting the answer right, you get twenty dollars!" She deadpanned, looked at him and didn't look away when he looked back at her. "Now, lets see if you get this one right. Are these mine?"

Dawson didn't answer right away. It looked like the wheels were turning in that pathetic brain of his. Then he answered. "Su-sure they're yours...why wouldn't they be yours? Now what is this ridiculous show you've put on-"

"They're not mine. And you know that. God, you are a fucking liar," She clucked her tongue and shook her head. But she didn't seem angry, she didn't seem sad. She looked like she didn't care and that hurt Dawson more than if she was mad.

"Joey," Dawson tried.

"No. Just...don't..." Joey said slowly, shaking her head. "Just tell me...how long has it been going on?" She asked softly.

Dawson sighed loudly. And said nothing. He didn't seem to be willing to answer. She looked at him with a questioning brow.

"Okay, here's another one...why did I find both the bra and panties in the bed?" She looked at him intently. "Did she really just walk out of here with no bra or panties on? Did she have no time? Was I just about to come in the door or something? Or did you just plant them in there? Maybe you're just as tired of us as I am," She finished on a heavy breath.

Dawson looked at her for a long moment before he cracked, "That was more than one question..."

"Dawson, can't you just give me the truth?" Joey sighed, annoyed.

"What do you want me to say?" Dawson burst out. "That I fucked another woman? Fine. I did. More than once. I admit it. Are you happy?" He ran hands through his hair then, his frustration showing.

Joey chuckled quietly. "Wow. I should have known."

Dawson sighed, his form taking one of defeat. "I'm sorry."

"Was it more than one woman?" She asked, looking up at him. Still no anger, no tears. Why wasn't she affected by it?

Dawson's silence said everything.

Joey scoffed and shook her head. "Wow. Wow..." Is all she said.

"But, Jo, you have to know. They meant nothing to me!" He rushed forward on the cushion, throwing the bra and panties to the other side of the couch so he could take her hand in his. "You are the one I want. Always."

She pulled her hand out of his in disgust. "You aren't the one I want," She admitted quietly.

That stopped Dawson short. "What?" He breathed. When did she have time to go and find some other guy? This didn't make sense. "What are you talking about?"

"Dawson...you aren't the only one who cheated," She admitted, looking him full in the eye as she said it. She watched as he sat back in shock. And she watched his features change to anger.

"Who?" He demanded angrily.

"What does it matter?" She rolled her eyes.

"It matters!" Dawson snapped. Joey looked over at him with raised eyebrows. "Tell me and then I'm going to go and kill him!" Dawson practically screamed.

"Dawson, you don't have the right to get angry. Or to go and try to beat him up," She shook her head. "You cheated too-and more than once. I only did it once. It...it..." She trailed off and then cleared her throat, looking at Dawson, who's face was becoming redder and redder with anger. "I guess...I guess we're even, huh?" Joey said quietly.

"Even?" Dawson scoffed, pushing off the couch and starting to pace in front of the coffee table. Joey looked at him, confused. "No way. You have to tell me who the guy is. Because I'm going to find him and i'm going to kill him for even touching you!"

"Excuse me?" Joey said in surprise. This hadn't been what she was expecting. She had been expecting them to agree that they were not even close to being right for each other, agree to end it mutually and then she'd go on her merry way. She didn't expect...this.

"How could you, Joey!" He shouted at her, making her jump. "You betrayed me!"

"What?" Joey asked, outraged. "You cheated on me! Countless times!" She yelled back.

"That's not betrayal."

"How is it not?" Joey scoffed.

"I'm a man. And as a man, we have more sexual urges than women. We need it. Women don't," Dawson fumed.

Joey sat there, her eyes wide with shock. What was this she was hearing? Was she in the 1950's? She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Oh, so according to you, it's okay for you do it just because you have dick. Or maybe it's just that you are a dick!" Joey shouted, standing up. Now she knew she had made the right choice to just throw his ring in his face. The bastard.

"Joey-"

"No, just a couple minutes ago you were apologizing oh so nicely for screwing around on me, but just because now you know I did it once with someone, it's suddenly okay?" She shouted at him, angry.

"You're going to be my wife in six days! You aren't allowed to-"

"Oh, shut up, right now!" Joey shouted. "And what makes you think we're getting married?" She scoffed.

Dawson paused in his pacing to stare at her in shock. Then he resumed his pacing. "What do you mean? Of course we're getting married. We're committed to each other. You said yes. That means forever."

Joey growled in anger. "Committed? I'll tell you one thing. The only thing you'd be committed to is an insane asylum. Where you'll be going now if you continue down this road you're going."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Dawson, we cheated on each other. We don't love each other. The only reason we're together is for convenience. I hate you. I've hated you for a very long time. And I refuse to go into a marriage hating someone. We are unhappy. There will be no wedding."

"No, no, that means nothing. We're soulmates. We'll be getting married."

Joey screamed then. She couldn't take it anymore. "No, Dawson! We aren't anything! This has been going on way too long. And I regret that I didn't end it when I had the chance!"

"Tell me who you fucked!" He shouted.

Joey walked around the coffee table and got in Dawsons face. "Shut up. Now. Are you so blind that you don't see it? There is no love between us. We were both delusional for so long. Not anymore. I'm done! I'm done."

She saw a vein pop out on Dawson forehead and she barely had time to register what was happening before he punched her in the eye. She gasped as she fell to the ground. Dawson leaned over her. "We aren't done. You are mine. Now tell me who touched you the way only I should get to touch you, you little whore," He spat in her hair when he said 'whore'. Joey felt tears come to her eyes because of the pain. She gingerly touched her left eye before looking up at Dawson slowly, who's face was so contorted in rage and madness that he truly looked crazy.

"You're insane," She said to him, now feeling scared. Sure, Dawson had always been a little possessive and if a guy so much as looked twice in her direction when he was around, he would go over the top. But that didn't compare to how he was acting now. What had she ever seen in him?

"No, I'm not," He growled as he stood up. "You shouldn't have betrayed me."

Ignoring the pain in her face, Joey stood up and glared at him. "Like I said before. I'm done with you. I was stupid to ever stay with you. There is something messed up in you."

"I'm normal!" He said it almost like a little child. "You're the-"

But Joey cut him off with a punch of her own to his face. She felt the sting in her hand immediately. But all she felt was satisfied as she watched him fall to the floor. Joey moved over him like he had her. Thank god she had already packed up her clothes, knowing she was leaving. She didn't need anything else. "We're over Dawson. There will be no more wedding-"

She pushed him to the floor, hard, when he started to try and get up and held him down by his shoulders as he looked up at her, a mix of shock and anger on his face. "If we are cheating on each other, if we are fighting every time we see each other, if we hit each other...that doesn't mean love. And you truly are delusional enough if you look at me and you think you see love for you. No, there is hate. Only hate."

She ripped off the engagement ring she had on and felt relief. She smiled almost evilly down at him as she said her parting words, "Oh and the man I fucked was Pacey. We were drunk. I felt horrible the next morning and have been denying anything I felt for him for two months now. But no more."

She ignored the look of pure outrage on his face when she said it was Pacey and leaned down close. "Oh and Dawson? It was amazing, mind-blowing and the best I've ever had. You don't even compare. I'm in love with him. Always have been. It just took me till recently to realize it. He's the one I want. Not you."

She stood up and tossed the ring down at him and walked away before he could get over his shock and anger and do anything to her. She grabbed her purse, her keys and two suitcases that had been sitting near the door-surprise surprise, Dawson hadn't noticed them when he came in-and opened the door.

"Josephine Potter, you get back here! We aren't finished, you little bitch! And Pacey-"

She shut the door before she could hear the rest. She eagerly walked towards her car. As she was putting her suitcases in the trunk, she saw Dawson come out of the apartment, shouting at her with pure rage on his face. She smiled as she saw the pretty good shiner that was developing there. She got in the car quickly and, pulling out of the parking lot, headed to the one place she had always felt like she was at home. And to the one person she loved with all her heart.


	18. Must Be Dreaming

**Chapter 18: Must Be Dreaming**

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><p><strong>AN: So 1trueluv expressed some concerns about the end of the last chapter, and I just wanted to adress them and say that uh, yes. Dawson was ooc and is going to be for the rest of the fic. I warn all readers now. I realize that I made him even more asshole-ish than he is in the show, but I wrote this three years ago and my hate for Dawson at the time was, shall we say, pretty fresh and new. I've cooled down on my hate, (even though I will hate his character until the end of time) and have matured on the subject of Dawson Leery. But I was not, however, mature in my writing for him in this fanfic. Dawson goes down a very dark path and he does not get any better. **

**So, I warn you all now. I apologize for any and all who might not like Dawson so ooc. But I will warn everyone in every chapter from now on that Dawson will be out of character. **

**As for Joey, I don't think she was ooc at all, but that's just me. I think if pushed to it, she could very well punch Dawson or anyone else. She did it in season 1 and that shows that she is very capable of bitching someone out and punching them for being an asshole. But I do apologize if she seemed ooc a little bit. I guess I just imagine older Joey more confident and outspoken. And I think this anger and confidence to face Dawson was a long time coming. **

**Warning: Dawson appears in this chapter and continues his off-the-rails behavior. **

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><p>Pacey sighed quietly as he closed the door to his store that was bathed in darkness. He locked the door and turned around to walk to his car. The air was humid and hot, even though it was nighttime. Pacey looked up at the clear, dark sky and smiled at the moon. He could hear the distant sound of the waves crashing against the beach. Sometimes he loved just standing outside, feeling the air on his skin, looking up at the sky. It was so peaceful. And the low hum of the waves added to it. The beach was nice and peaceful compared to what was going on inside him.<p>

Six days. Six days and she would be marrying Dawson. Ever since he'd realized he was in love with her, his heart had been breaking. She wasn't with him. And she never would be. Because she was marrying someone else. Who was his best friend. No, scratch that. She was marrying someone he used to know. Because Pacey knew he and Dawson hadn't been real friends in a long while, maybe even years. Pacey was just supposed to be the best friend. The sidekick in Dawson's script that is his life. So that is what Pacey had remained as, although, really...in reality, he wasn't.

But Pacey knew he wasn't the guy who got the girl. Of that he was sure. He hadn't even seen Joey...in at least a week, over a week, since the dinner when Jen and Jack came in to the city. He missed her every second of every minute of everyday. But she was with Dawson. She wasn't his. There was nothing he could do about that.

Pacey sighed sadly and got in his car to drive home. He felt so tired. Maybe he would just get home, get into his bed and watch some TV or something. It was boring, it was lame and unexciting, but he didn't care. He wanted to do just that. He had noticed his life had become pretty boring as of late. He was too busy pining for the girl and because he was awash in sadness and brooding, all he was in the mood for was staying in his bed every night and watching his stories. Whatever.

Pacey slid up to his house, noticing that Jen and Jack's rental car wasn't there. He wondered where they were. Probably out having fun and living their life. Like every young, twenty-five year old besides him in the world was doing. Or maybe Jen and Jack were talking to Joey. Making wedding plans. Fun.

Pacey walked into his home, kept the lights off and let the moonlight seep through the sliding glass door. It was calming. He absently held his hand against his chest, feeling a pain in his chest. Sometimes, it would throb painfully. It would hurt so much that he could feel it. Sometimes it was easier, but those were rare moments nowadays.

Setting his keys on the kitchen counter, he walked to his fridge and opened it, bending down to find something to drink. He found a beer and took it out, opening it and taking a long, satisfying sip. Pacey moved out of his kitchen and started moving to the stairs when there is a knock on the door. Pacey furrows his brow. He knows it's not Jen or Jack. They would just come in or use the extra key he gave both of them that they always use while they are staying in California. Pacey sighed and moved towards the door. He opens it and is so shocked he almost loses his grip on the beer he's holding. He stands there, frozen, looking at Joey who was standing there almost shyly, her hands laced together in front of her.

"Hi." She breathes.

Pacey blinks a few times, shocked. Then he clears his throat and opens it to respond in kind, but then she shifts on her feet, facing forward completely and crossing her arms over chest and the porch light illuminates her face. Pacey gasps and blindly sets his beer on the table that sat by the door as he rushes forward and takes her face gently, softly, in his hands. He barely runs his thumb over the bruise that had apparently formed on her left eye.

"What happened? Who hit you?" Pacey demands angrily as he looks at her black eye. The sight sickens him.

She sighs and closes her eyes. "Can you just hold me?" She whispers.

Pacey is about to protest, wanting to know what the hell happened when she pulls herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his back. She nestles her head in his shoulder, resting her head on the right side so she won't hurt her left. He can feel her soft breath against his neck. She sighs softly. Pacey sighs as well and pulls her tighter against him, stroking her hair. He wanted to pull her back and have her tell him, but he could tell she didn't want that right now. That she needed the silence, needed him - he hoped. So he said nothing and just held her on his porch for god knows how long before she finally pulled back and he guided her inside his house, shutting the door behind him.

"Jo...who did this?" Pacey asked softly as he gently raised a bag of ice to her eye. She winced as she took the ice from Pacey and held it gingerly to her eye. They were in the kitchen, sitting at the island. Pacey had turned on the light, but kept it low. He had a feeling she wouldn't want the light on so high.

She didn't reply, she just sighed and looked down at the counter as she played with a thread on her pants.

Pacey sighed and leaned forward a little in his seat from where he sat next to her. Then Pacey looked up and saw that her ring was missing from her left hand that was holding the ice. "Jo, where's your ring?" He asked cautiously.

Her eyes widened and she cleared her throat. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him. Pacey's heartbeat sped up. He looked at her black eye that was covered with the ice and he finally put two and two together.

"Dawson hit you, didn't he?" Pacey said angrily.

"What?" Joey asked with wide-eyes. "I-I-I-" She stuttered.

"Jo, don't play games with me. Did he hit you?" Pacey stood up, angry that Dawson put one mark on her body.

Joey was silent for a moment before she answered, "Well I got him back. I'm a big girl, I took care of it," She rushed to say.

That was all the answer Pacey needed. "I'm going to kill him." Pacey growled as he turned to leave the kitchen.

"No, Pacey, please!" Joey grabbed his arm and turned him back towards her.

"Jo, he hit you! If you think I'm going to sit by and let that go, you are dead wrong!" Pacey wanted to kill Dawson. He did. No matter what happened between them, Joey never deserved to be hit.

"Pacey, please stop with the chauvinistic crap," Joey snapped.

"What?" Pacey laughed angrily. "This has nothing to do with that. He hit you and I highly doubt you deserved it-"

"I didn't, but that still doesn't mean-"

"Joey," Pacey said patiently.

"No..." Joey said softly. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you, you didn't deserve that. But I punched him right back. And I'm sure I got him pretty good."

"You got him right back?" Pacey asked.

"Yes. And I took care of myself. I can take care of myself. I don't need or want you defending my honor or whatever..."

Joey trailed off and then sighed, turning back around in her seat and putting the ice back on her eye.

"But, Jo...he still hit you," Pacey said sadly as he took the ice away from her face and held her face in his hands, wincing at the black eye. It looked horrible.

"And he won't do it again, Pacey," She said confidently.

"How do you know? I hate it when victims of domestic violence think that the first time it happens will be the last time, but it won't-"

"It won't happen again because I broke off the engagement!" Joey burst out.

Pacey froze, looking at her intensely. He did not hear what he thought he just heard. Joey Potter, break things off with Dawson Leery? Six days before she was supposed to marry him? Joey saw the shocked look on his face and smirked.

"Yeah, I just couldn't take it anymore..." She sighed. She pulled her face out of Pacey's hands softly. "I found some evidence," She scoffed. "That Dawson's been cheating on me."

Pacey's eyes widened. "What?" Now he had an even bigger reason to go kick his ass. He didn't care what Joey said, when Pacey could get Dawson alone, he was, without a doubt, going to kill him.

"I know," Joey chuckled sadly. "Right under my nose. For god knows how long. I confronted him when we got home and he went all 'I'm sorry, I love you,' but..." she bit her lower lip. "When I told him that...I...had...sex with someone too," She glanced at Pacey then back down. "He kind of went a little crazy," She choked out.

"You...you told him about us?" Pacey whispered.

"Well, I did and I didn't..." When Pacey raised an eyebrow, she sighed and nodded. "Yes, I did."

"And so he hit you?" Pacey's hands clenched into fists.

"No...no he hit me before that," Joey sighed.

"What?" The surprises just kept coming.

"First I told him I slept with someone, then he demanded I tell him who and I said that there was no love left between him and I and that we've been delusional and that I was done...and then he hit me..." She felt a tear fall onto her cheek. She wiped it away quickly. "Then I said he was insane, he denied it and I punched him..." She sighed. "I'm pretty sure his shiner hurts a lot more than mine. He's weak," She tried to laugh, but it came out strangled.

"Come here, Potter," Pacey said softly and pulled her to his chest. His heart was breaking for her. Not only had it been breaking before, now it was breaking all over again. But this time it was for her. Not because of her. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and closed his eyes as Joey clung to him.

"I hate him," She whispered into his shirt.

Pacey didn't say anything. That surprised him, but he didn't want to say the wrong thing in this moment. So he just held her. And surprisingly, he only heard a sniffle or two and for the most part, she was quiet, seeming to melt into his embrace. He smelled her hair and relaxed against her. "I did tell him it was you after I punched him, though," She said out of the blue.

Pacey pulled back immediately with a surprised look on his face. Would the surprises ever end?

"Sorry," She looked down, as if ashamed. "Are you mad?" She whispered.

"Mad? God no, why would you think that?" Pacey laughed softly. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you, Potter?" Pacey asked gently as he took her chin in his hand softly and made her look up at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked softly.

"I thought none of this, any of this, would ever happen. I thought you'd always be with Dawson. I thought..." He trailed off, looking into her eyes.

"You thought?" She asked softly, a small smile playing on her lips. It was like that smile was all he needed. And so instead of answering, he leaned forward and took her soft lips in his. The kiss was light, not demanding or forceful.

But Pacey was surprised when Joey pulled on the front of his shirt and brought him closer to her and she became more demanding, more passionate. He felt her let go of his shirt and thought she would pull back, but she didn't. She held his face in her hands and pulled his lips closer against hers. He felt her tongue against his lips, demanding entrance. He opened his mouth eagerly and felt her tongue slip into his mouth, sliding against his. He was pretty sure the sound that filled the quiet kitchen was his moan. Her taking the initiative was all he needed.

He settled in between her legs and she eagerly wrapped them around his waist so he could lift her up onto the island counter, then bring his hands into her soft hair, moaning as their tongues battled. Kissing Joey Potter was the best feeling he had ever had. He would never tire of it, of that he was sure. Her touch, her kiss, brought a shiver to his spine, produced fire all along his skin, and a fluttering sensation in his stomach. Joey Potter gave him butterflies.

How he had stayed friends with her for so long and hadn't kissed her was beyond him. He had been missing out.

It was Joey's turn to moan as she raked her fingernails down his chest, down his stomach, making his muscles tighten in pleasure. They were in a passionate embrace, both letting themselves get lost in each other like they had their fist night together. Only this time, they were without the weight of guilt. And they could go as far as they wanted, unlike those few stolen kisses they had gotten here and there over the past two months.

Joey pushed Pacey's shirt up and let her hands roam over his stomach, loving the feel of his skin. She got up to his chest and rested her hands there. He felt so good.

Pacey was just about to let his hands roam under her shirt when a pounding sound against the front door broke them apart. They broke apart with a gasp, their breathing heaving as they looked toward where the front door was.

They looked at each other and Joey slumped visibly, letting her hands fall from his chest, her legs unwrapping from where they had been around his waist. Then they heard a voice.

"Open up, Pacey! Now! I know she's in there, I see her car, goddamn it!"

Shit. Dawson had followed her to Pacey's house.

Joey looked at Pacey with wide eyes. And Pacey saw the fear in her eyes. With all her bravado, he knew she wasn't as tough as she had led on. But she covered it quickly as she cleared her throat and set her jaw.

"Just don't-"

"I'm not going to promise anything, Jo," Pacey touched her black eye lightly.

"Fucking open up!" Dawson practically screamed as he pounded on the door.

Pacey growled in anger and moved away from Joey unwillingly, storming toward the front door. Joey followed closely behind, refusing to become a coward now.

When it seemed liked Dawson was going to break the door in, Pacey swiftly opened the door to reveal Dawson Leery with his fist in the air, poised to knock - or well, pound - on the door.

The three of them stood there, looking at each other. Pacey took a good look at Dawson's face and had to admit that Joey did give a pretty good shiner. She hadn't been lying. Joey stood tentatively at Pacey's side, holding her chin up as high as she could. She wasn't going to hide behind Pacey like some scared, poor little girl who needed a man to fight her battles. But that didn't stop her from being a little weary. She looked at Dawson and knew for sure in that moment that she did indeed hate Dawson Leery.

Dawson looked from Pacey to Joey and back to Pacey before he screeched in anger.

"I'll kill you!" He yelled as he lunged for Pacey.

But Pacey moved out of the way and Dawson just went running and, not being able to stop in time, fell over the step that dipped into Pacey's living room. He gasped as he tripped and fell against a chair.

Pacey sighed and looked at Joey, who looked like she was trying not to laugh. Dawson had looked so ridiculous, flailing his arms around as he tried to stop himself from falling. But Dawson seemed unaffected as he pushed himself off the chair and ran at Pacey again. Pacey let him get in the punch this time.

Joey gasped, moving forward.

"No, Joey, don't!" Pacey said, making her stop. It was just one punch. And yeah, it would hurt and it might form a bruise on his cheek, but it didn't hurt all that much. Pacey barely moved back a step. He knew he deserved at least one. Because no matter how crazy Dawson was acting, he had slept with Joey while she was in a committed relationship to Dawson. And that was wrong. He knew that. But Pacey wouldn't let him get one in again.

Dawson pushed at Pacey's chest, making him stumble back onto the stairs. "How dare you! How dare you fuck my fiancé!"

Pacey sighed and stood up, facing Dawson. "Look, I'm sorry I slept with Joey while you two were still together-"

"Gah!" Dawson lunged for him again and Pacey moved out of the way, making Dawson tumble into the stairs.

"It was wrong, I know," Pacey said. "But I just did it once with her. How many women did you screw behind her back?"

"This is different!" Dawson shouted as he got up from the stairs. "You were my best friend!"

"It's not different," Pacey said. "You had sex with countless women how many times? We did it once. And we felt horrible about it. We've stayed away from each other ever since it happened because we felt so bad!"

"And that's supposed to make me feel better!" Dawson screeched and lunged toward Pacey again.

Pacey sighed and deflected Dawson's swing.

"Dawson, stop before you strain something."

"You think this is funny?" Dawson growled.

Pacey sighed. "Am I laughing?"

"No," Dawson's face seemed to be turning red.

"You know, you can try to punch me all you want-"

"I got you!"

"Because I let you," Pacey rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right-"

"But now, Dawson. You've had your turn. Now, it's mine," Pacey moved forward and swung his fist, hitting Dawson in his good eye, sending him to the floor.

"Pacey!" Joey gasped, surprised.

Pacey winced a little and shook out his fist. "Man, he has a hard head."

"Why did you do that?" Dawson gasped as he stood.

"Because, you cheated on her. You hit her. And you treat her like crap."

"She hit me!"

"What are you, five?" Pacey scoffed, disgusted. "You hit her first! So don't act the victim here."

"Joey, how could you do this to me!" Dawson rounded on her.

"Excuse me?" She asked angrily.

"What is this between you two? Were you two just bored and decided, hey, let's fuck, Dawson isn't here?" He growled.

"It wasn't like that," Joey scoffed.

"What was it, then? Because you were a little short on the details before!"

"Dawson, just give up-" Pacey started.

"What, are you two just fuck buddies?"

"This has nothing to do with sex," Pacey sighed, trying to be patient.

"What, are you in love?" Dawson sneered snidely.

That stopped them and they turned their heads to look at each other, a question in their eyes.

"Gah, don't look at each other! This is hard enough as it is!"

"Shut up, Dawson!" Pacey turned back to look at Dawson. "And leave, now. I am this close to just beating you into a bloody pulp."

"You can't take her from me! She was mine first!"

"Excuse me?" Joey gasped, glaring at him. "News flash, Dawson, but I'm not a possession!"

"You're mine!"

"I'm not yours!" Joey screamed, tired of Dawson. Just tired of it all. "I was never yours. I don't belong to you. I'm not some girl you can marry and use as eye candy on your arm when you go out. I'm a person. I have feelings. And what I feel is hate for you. So just leave me alone and let me move on! Because I don't love you. I don't. I never did. I might have thought I did, but I didn't. I was just scared of being alone and you were always there. But you see, I finally realized that being with you is a lot worse than being alone. I won't put up with it anymore."

"No, you have to marry me. You said yes," Dawson pulled out the engagement ring she had given back to him and moved toward her, holding it out.

"Dawson, stop," Pacey put a hand on his chest and pushed him back. "Just go."

"Get your hands-"

"Go!" Pacey said more forcefully.

Dawson looked between the two, seeing their hard, angry faces. And finally he seemed to give in, stepping back. But then he opened his big fat mouth. "I'm going. But I will be back. And you will marry me, Joey."

"No, I won't," Joey shook her head.

"Oh, you will," He glared at her and with one last glare towards Pacey, he turned around and wrenched the front door open, slamming it behind him.

Pacey and Joey stared at the closed door in silence.

* * *

><p>Pacey felt a warm body against his. He knew he must be dreaming. Because he knew the body laying against him. And she couldn't possibly be real. Joey Potter couldn't really be laying in his bed, in his arms.<p>

But as he opened his eyes, waking up, he still felt her solid body against his. And as he looked down, he saw the top of her head, the brown of her hair all he could see. He breathed in her scent, smiling softly, her scent relaxing him.

After the door had shut behind Dawson the night before, there had been silence between them for a few moments before Joey offered to put ice on his cheek.

So they had returned to the kitchen, now both sporting shiners, ice packs against their faces. They were silent for a moment when they had settled into the chairs at the island, but then they looked at each other, at their respective ice packs and started to laugh. Something about the situation just felt so ridiculous - despite the obvious double injury - and they both felt exhausted.

"Pace?" Joey asked quietly when their laughter died down.

"Yeah, Jo?" Pacey smiled slowly as he looked at her and noticed that even with half her face covered with an ice pack, she still looked beautiful.

"I'm feeling kind of tired...do you - do you think -" She cut herself off to clear her throat, fidgeting in her seat, seeming to become nervous all the sudden. "You think that I could stay here tonight?" She looked up at him, her eyes showing her nervousness. "Stay with you? And we could just...sleep?" She said the last sentence so tentative, so shyly that she seemed like a little kid asking for ice cream before dinner.

Pacey's smile widened. "Yeah, I think we can do that," He let out a soft breath and stood, lowering his ice pack to the table to envelop her in his arms, breathing her in as he held her solid body in his arms. She felt so comfortable, so warm...soft.

"Thank you," She whispered over his shoulder.

"Nothing to thank me for," Pacey smiled softly at her as he pulled back and he took her hand in his, his other hand going to lower the ice pack. He tried not to show the wince as he looked at her black eye, but judging by the look on her face, he knew he hadn't been all that successful.

But she surprised him when she reached up and touched her fingers softly to the bruise that had formed on his cheek. Tenderly, she moved forward to kiss it.

Pacey was so surprised by this action that he sucked in a surprised breath. And when she pulled back, he saw her smiling at him.

"I'm sorry he hit you," She whispered.

"Hey, it's okay," Pacey in turn touched his fingertips to her eye softly. "He didn't nearly get me as good as I got him, trust me," Pacey smiled as he moved his fingers to her hair and gently ran them through her brown locks all the way to the ends. "But he got you good," Pacey whispered sadly, still hating to have to look at her face and see the big bruise surrounding her eye. Because of him. Pacey still hadn't had a chance to be alone with the son of a bitch. "Bastard."

"He didn't nearly get me as good as I got him, trust me," Joey repeated Pacey's statement, which earned her a smile. "Lets just forget about it for tonight and sleep. I'm just so tired, Pacey," She let her head fall onto his shoulder.

"Me too," He ran his hand over the top of her hair down to her back. "Come on," He took her hand in his again and pulled her off her chair and headed out of the kitchen.

Joey had ended up wearing one of his shirts and he had tried hard not to look at her long, sexy, tan legs that seemed to go on forever and imagine running his tongue along them, up her thighs and-

He had shook his head and stopped himself from going further before he would have to excuse himself for a cold shower.

She was stirring in his arms now and he felt her leg intertwine with his and her foot started to rub along his ankle. He smiled and shifted a little so he could intertwine his other leg with hers so they were just a mass of limbs and they started to play footsie in the bed.

He heard her giggle. It sounded absolutely adorable, and at the same time she was able to make it sound so sexy that he would do anything to hear it again. He loved hearing her laugh.

"Something funny, Potter?" Pacey himself was on the edge of laughter and he tried to keep his voice serious, but knew he wasn't doing so well at accomplishing that.

"Hmmm...nuh uh," She shook her head against his chest, but giggled again when his toes brushed against her ankle.

"Then why are you laughing?" Pacey said and then chuckled as she rolled on top of him, a competitive look in her eye.

"Because you are adorable," She grinned and pecked him on the lips.

"I-_I'm_ adorable?" Pacey scoffed at that. Then he grinned wickedly. "I'll show you adorable."

"No no no, Pacey no!" She started to giggle wildly as he attacked her side with tickles. They rolled on the bed, him on top as Joey thrashed wildly, trying to get out of his grip, her laughter never seeming to stop, her face turning read as he continued to tickle her. He felt her push at his arms, trying to get him to stop, but failed at doing so. "Pace - Pacey -" She breathed in deeply, "Please stop! Stop! I'm dying!" She start to move more wildly. "I can't breathe!" She screeched, though her laughter was louder than ever. The sound filled his senses, made him brim with happiness.

"Say uncle," Pacey grinned.

"No!"

"Jo-"

"I am so going to get you!"

"Say it!"

"Uncle!"

Pacey rolled off of her immediately with a big ass grin on his face, satisfied. She was breathing wildly trying to catch her breath, swallowing loudly, her chest moving up and down. And as Pacey watched the movement of her chest, listened to her breathing - which sounded like she'd just run a mile, or just had crazy, wild sex- Pacey felt himself start to harden almost instantly and groaned inwardly. All he had wanted was to hear her laugh and all it did was end up biting him in the ass. The way she was just laying there, her breathing ragged, her chest - it was so erotic.

She looked over at him and when she noticed the way he had become silent and the darkening of his eyes, his eyes that looked at her with a heat of lust and wanting, her breathing slowed and she felt heat pool at her insides almost instantly.

When she leaned forward, Pacey eagerly moved forward to meet her halfway, but was totally caught off guard when one minute he was on his side about to kiss her and the next he was on his back with her straddling him, a smirk playing on her face.

"Wha-" He said, completely dazed.

But she leaned down and kissed him hard, cutting him off.

He moaned into the kiss, feeling himself sink down into the mattress, pleasure filling his veins.

All of the sudden she broke away and brought her hands to his armpits, starting to tickle him.

"No - no way," Pacey shook his head, squirming a little under her hands.

"Are you ticklish, Pace?" She said huskily.

But he couldn't answer. She had moved down to his sides and he felt laughter bubbling within him. He wasn't going crazy, but he was ticklish enough that he squirmed and laughter broke out.

"Joey-"

But she moved faster now and applied more pressure, moving up to his stomach. She had gotten his weak spot.

"Ah! Stop!" He started to laugh loudly as she stayed firmly planted on top of him, tickling him. He grabbed at her arms like she did him, but she just slapped his hands away and pulled them over his head.

"Nuh uh, I told you I'd get you. It's your turn now."

"Please, n-"

She leaned down and unexpectedly licked the inside of his ear. He shuddered and felt himself go limp, surprised at how easily he gave into her. "God," He groaned. She swirling her tongue around his ear and he had no idea what possessed her to do it, but he didn't care. He was putty in her hands.

Then she went back to tickling his stomach.

He felt too weak to fight her. She had worn him down with just licking his ear. How the hell did she do that?

He was back to laughing again as she tickled him, giving him this bizarre form of torture.

"You gonna say uncle?"

"It isn't that bad-"

But it got worse.

"Jo, stop it!" Pacey laughed hysterically, Joey giggling as she tickled him.

Pacey wound his arms around her back, planning to roll them back over so he could have the upper hand, when the door to his room opened and Joey stopped tickling him and he was breathless as they both turned to look at their intruder - well, intruders.

"Hey Jack, Jen..." Pacey nodded his head, his breathing having still not returned to normal.

The two stood there in the doorway, smirking at the two who lay in the bed. "Hello to you, too," Jen's smile widened.

Joey looked down at Pacey sheepishly, her cheeks reddening as she slowly rolled off of Pacey with a sigh.

"Well look what we have here," Jack grinned, eyeing the t-shirt Joey was wearing - Pacey's t-shirt. And nothing else.

Pacey sighed heavily and moved to get out of bed.

"Joey, what the hell happened to your face!" Jen had managed to get a closer look at Joey and had been sickened by what she saw. Any thoughts of teasing and prodding the two flew out the window as she rushed toward Joey and held her face in her hands.

"Jen - hey, what are you - I'm fine - hey!" Joey tried to move free of Jen's grasp, but Jen held her face steadily, looking at the black eye intensely. Jen sharply turned to Pacey, who was now out of the bed and standing. "Pacey, you didn't-"

"No, Jen!" Pacey said shortly, shaking his head, now irritated, when he had been elated not five seconds ago. "How could you think that?"

"Wait, you've got a bruise too," Jack moved up to Pacey to look at it, taking his chin in his hands.

"Hey!" Pacey jerked his head away from any further inspection of his bruise. When Jen had noticed Pacey's face too, her grip had slackened on Joey's face and Joey was able to pull it free.

"Okay, you guys gotta explain the double shiners," Jack said.

"Yeah, because while we are very wise-"

"Oh so wise-"

They moved toward each other, meeting each other in the middle and turning to Pacey and Joey, who rolled their eyes. They were doing it again.

"We are sad to admit-"

"We aren't that wise," Jack finished.

"What happened?" Jen finally asked.

Jen and Jack watched as Joey and Pacey looked at each other and seemed to speak to each other with only their eyes. They watched with mild curiosity.

Then Pacey and Joey looked at Jack and Jen.

"Why don't we go downstairs and sit down?" Pacey said tentatively.

"Oh boy!" Jen grinned at this.

"This is gonna be good," Jack smirked.

Pacey and Joey sighed and followed the oh so "wise" ones out of his bedroom, both interested in what Jack and Jen's reaction would be to this particular Dawson Leery outburst.


End file.
